PLEASE... For something completely different, please read below. Any Comments. Any Critique. Any Thoughts, would all be appreciated.

It Begins: A Prologue

It was dark and quiet when the small flashes of light began to illuminate the murky cavern. Bits of blues, reds, yellows, and greens reflected across the dullish brown walls. The repetitive lights lasted fractions of a second before being swallowed by nothingness. A soft echo accompanied the breathing of a light wind while swirls of water rushed through the enclosed cave. The hushed silence came to an end. A crack of thunder ended it.

Reverberations travelled through the cavern, the resonance absorbed by the surrounding area exploded with white light. The eruption left a rift suspended mysteriously in the air. It festered like a freshly open wound, shimmered silver, and an oddity emerged. A dark liquid mass poured forth. Its complexion was that of a midnight sky, the color of its essence for it did not have skin.

Completely devoid of shape the shadowed heap poured to the barren ground. Solidifying like wet clay it continued until it was large enough to assume a form, a human form. It started with a torso then arms, legs, and head formed giving way to fingers, toes and eyes. The latter like black opals. He didn't stand, he simply formed standing. Once fully immersed into the cavern the hovering rift closed in silence.

He took in his surroundings, finally resting his sights on his newly fashioned hands, an unseen smile crossing his face. He was here, he was finally here. Feelings of joy threatened to overcome. He could not give in. He would not give in. He allowed the pain and anguish that delivered him to this point to cancel the sensation of joy he didn't want to feel. It was not good to feel any emotion, especially now. Now he had purpose.

A pool of water rested in front of him. Kneeling at the colorless pond his empty reflection stared back at him. The water broke when his fingers shattered its serenity. The prize he sought rested peacefully at the bottom. He couldn't touch it, but he could feel its power resonate. He looked through the ripples at it when a voice disturbed him.

"Are you going to finish it? Do you plan on taking the King's youngest son from him?"

"No" the shadow replied "I plan on killing the King"

"You tried before. What makes you think you can do it this time?"

Standing once more, his body twisted towards the emancipated voice. A passage full of blackened mist stared back at him. The light generated by the sounds could not pierce the long dark grotto. He stared towards the voice anyway. "Who said I tried the last time?"

A warm gust poured from the haze and swept through the cavern like hot breath. "I know what you saw, about the visions, it won't work."

"I'm not here to talk. I'm here to finish it, to do what no one will do."

The hidden voice replied. "I ask you not to. We saw the same vision. It will only end in disaster. What I saw..."

"What you saw?" the shadow cut him off. "What about what I have seen? What I've been through? Don't you remember? I came to you for help? You dismissed me. I had one choice. There were no alternatives."

"There are always choices."

"No! Not with this. I had one opportunity. I took it. I attacked him. Besides, do you truly think that King Nallus was upset that he lost his eldest son?" He paused remembering "It was because of you. You stepped aside and allowed this to happen."

"You presume too much King of Shadows" his voice composed, almost soothing, even after such an accusation.

"Speak no more Dragon Lord. Hide in your cave and watch what is about to unfold because one way or the other you will help me kill Nallus."

"I cannot help you kill King Nallus anymore then I could help King Nallus when he told me to kill you."

The Shadow King ignored the remark and faced the water again. A smile tried to appear again. Dismissing it he took a clear vial from inside his shadowed flesh and looked at what it contained. A grain of red sand rested at the bottom. A small pop sounded as the vial lid was pulled off. The cork dropped to the ground bouncing into the water. The red crystal was about to follow.

His outstretched arm reached over the lucid pond. Taking a deep breath he tipped the vial upside down. The speck bounced its way towards the opening. It slowed ever so slightly at the exit as if it had a choice to just stop. Losing that option it fell over the side reaching for the water.

A red encrusted stone waited at the bottom matching the color of sand. The rock glowed causing the surface of the tiny pond to ripple; the sand turned a blinding white. It hit the water and the reddish haze brightened. The Shadow King faded slightly. He did not feel the heat that emanated from the water. Bubbles boiled to the surface and winds erupted through the monstrous space.

A soft sigh erupted. "Any last words Ossmandis" asked the proclaimed King of Shadows.

Actions spoke for the Dragon Lord, a jet of fire flung from the darkened cave shooting straight for the pond. The Shadow King standing in front of it was inconsequential. However he did not move from his spot. The flames reached from behind stretching to embrace him. He continued to stare at the tiny particle mesmerized by the brilliance it generated, all the while ignoring the flames. There was no heat, no pain, he was shadows. The sand continued to drop as the water turned to steam.

The Shadow King stood in-between the folds of fire waiting patiently. He didn't wait long. The flames slowed, tethered by an unseen leash and held fast to the spot. Drops of water from the ceiling slowed to a stop never reaching the ground. The rushing current gelled like liquid ice.

Time slowed. The pebble of sand continued to fall effortlessly, drawn towards the stone until they both forged into one. A white light surrounded it once, then again and again in rapid succession. Flash after flash went quicker and quicker until the rock's outer shell burst.

It continued and quickened to one of constant illumination, the strobe effect died in the new lights brilliance. Daylight broke underground dispelling the darkness. The formed pieces revealed a jewel, a red multifaceted glowing orb. The last words spoken were muffled by the echo of the cave. They were not to be repeated, the Shadow Kings form obliterated by the light was already gone.

After he disappeared the cavern darkened. Pitch blackness swallowed the once beautiful kaleidoscope. The red jewel was gone, swallowed along with the light. Everything that was left behind was enveloped in darkness. Water trickled in filling the evaporated pond. Loosened rocks dropped to the ground and the Dragon Lord curled up to sleep. A war was coming and he would need to rest to stop it.

Thanks for Reading

Tnerb

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