Post by lee on Nov 19, 2018 22:14:36 GMT
Shadow Of A Debt
(Legion of Tyranny)
Part One
Talok VIII 2985 (one year ago)--
The two figures racing through the shadows finally stopped running and began sucking in as much of the hot, dry air as their lungs would hold. Had their pursuers been near, the smack and angry curse would have given their location away.
“What were you thinking...or were you even thinking at all?” a female voice asked. “You knew the moment you touched that case it would trigger an alarm.”
“I wanted...” a younger male voice began to rely.
“You wanted?” the female voice, growing harsher despite still trying to whisper, said. “You are nothing but a greedy little roctal. I should have never brought you along.”
The boy hated when his cousin compared him to the filthy little desert scavenger. “One day, you're going to pay for calling me that.”
“Once a roctal, Grev, always a miserable little roctal,” she replied.
“Let's go,” the young woman whispered.
“Where?” was the boy's reply.
“If we can make it to the Cave of the Ancestors, we should be able to escape.”
In the distance, the sounds of pursuit began to grow. Grev felt the girl's hand on his sleeve as she began to pull him along. Caught off balance, he went down easily when his toe hooked a large rock.
“Get up, you fool,” the young woman hissed as she tugged at his tunic.
The boy climbed to his feet, the rock he had tripped over now tightly in his grip. “Tasmia,” Grev said.
“We don't have time for this?” she replied.
“But, I've figured out how to escape,” he said.
Though her face was still masked by the shadows, her body language indicated she was intrigued. “How?”
Faster than she could react, Grev brought the rock up and slammed it against her temple. She witness an explosion of stars before everything went black and she hit the ground.
Grev reached down and felt for a pulse. Finding it, he smiled, hoping she could hear him but doubting she did. “I can escape by leaving them you, my dear cousin.”
Reaching into his bag of loot, he dropped the item from the case—a small stone statue of the Shadow Queen—into her hands. “If they get their statue back and the culprit who possesses it, the authorities should be satisfied.”
He disappeared into the night, pausing only once on his way to the Cave of Ancestors to listen for pursuers; there were none.
Part Two
“Tasmia Mallor.”
The voice, distinctively female, was both seductive and powerful. The young woman looked around her prison cell and at the door. Aside from herself, she was alone.
“Tasmia, my child.”
“Who are you to call me child?” she asked, defiantly.
“Your cousin, Grev, has received the blessings of the Shadows of the Cave of Ancestors,” the voice continued.
“What do I care?” Tasmia inquired.
“That was intended to be your power,” the voice replied.
“Not only has that little roctal stolen my freedom,” Tasmia began, “I find out now he has stolen power intended to be mine. If I could get free, I would kill him and take back what is mine.”
“Your freedom is not far off,” the voice told her. “As for the power, I can give you what you desire.”
“Who are you that promises such things?”
There was amusement in the voice when it replied. “Just know I will require something of you once these things come to pass.”
“When will I receive my freedom, my power?” Tasmia asked, still looking around the cell.
“Soon shall your freedom come.”
“And my power?” No sooner were the words past her lips did the shadows from the four corners of the cell come alive.
Like the tentacles of a great sea monster seeking prey, the shadows crept toward the lone occupant. Her first instinct was to flee, but Tasmia pushed her primal fear aside and stood still. As the first of the dark strands touched her flesh, her blue skin grew cold, frighteningly so. To her credit, however, the young woman refused to scream. It was only when she was completely engulfed did she open her mouth. The cold and darkness began to invade her every pore and orifice until it filled her entire body. With the last of the room's shadows now inside her, Tasmia Mallor fell unconscious.
The cell was silent, but only for a moment. Cold, malicious laughter, coming from everywhere and nowhere, filled the cell.
Part Three
Tasmia's captivity continued for another five months, but rather than lament her fate and the unfulfilled promise of freedom, she practiced daily with her new powers. With each passing day, her control over the darkness grew more focused and precise. Biding her time, she prepared for the day she would gain her freedom at her own hand.
“Tasmia,” a familiar voice called from outside her cell door. “Are you in there?”
“Grev? Is that you?” her surprise outweighing her anger.
“Step away from the door,” her cousin instructed her.
Tasmia did as she was bid. “I am clear.”
Darkness began to seep in between the cracks and latch onto the door from the inside. There was a groan from the wooden door as it began to buckle and crack. In an explosion of darkness, it shattered, but, surprisingly enough, she felt no impact. Grev stepped in, followed by pink-skinned off-worlder.
“I never expected to see you again,” Tasmia said, her voice barely masking her rage.
“Nor I you,” Grev replied. “I am leaving Talok VIII to make my fortune and gain the power this planet would never allow me to have.”
“So, why are you here?” Tasmia asked.
The young man held out his hand. “Because I have power now.” A ball of pitch black energy began to form into a ball in his palm.
“Power that should have rightfully been mine,” Tasmia said, reaching out and grabbing her cousin's hand. “You took my power, my treasure, and a year of my life. Now, I'm taking what is due me back.”
Grev's eyes grew wide as he realized Tasmia was unaffected by his power. The off-worlder took a step back, her expression showing her contentment to let things play out among family. She brushed a wayward strand of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes as she watched.
“What...what are you doing?” Grev stammered.
Darkness oozed from every pore of Tasmia's body until it surrounded both of them. “I'm taking back what is mine,” she hissed.
Although Grev's scream brought a smile to the off-worlder's face, she was showing no emotion when the darkness around the cousins faded. There was no doubt, however, she was impressed at the woman's power.
Tasmia stood alone, and what was left of Grev was crumpled on the floor of the cell. His body was little more than a husk; every once of life and power had been drained from him.
“Who are you?” Tasmia asked, globes of black energy forming around her clenched fists as she spoke.
“I offered your cousin a place in my organization,” the woman said. “Apparently, I chose the wrong cousin.”
“Obviously,” Tasmia said, her words filled with contempt, “he is no long interested.”
“Then, I would like to extend the same invitation to you.”
“You never answered my question,” Tasmia reminded her. “Who are you?”
“Do you want to leave this world behind?” the woman asked.
Sensing she was not going to get a straight answer until the woman was ready, she replied. “Yes. Yes I do.”
“My name is Ayla,” the woman said. “Welcome to my Legion.”
(Legion of Tyranny)
Part One
Talok VIII 2985 (one year ago)--
The two figures racing through the shadows finally stopped running and began sucking in as much of the hot, dry air as their lungs would hold. Had their pursuers been near, the smack and angry curse would have given their location away.
“What were you thinking...or were you even thinking at all?” a female voice asked. “You knew the moment you touched that case it would trigger an alarm.”
“I wanted...” a younger male voice began to rely.
“You wanted?” the female voice, growing harsher despite still trying to whisper, said. “You are nothing but a greedy little roctal. I should have never brought you along.”
The boy hated when his cousin compared him to the filthy little desert scavenger. “One day, you're going to pay for calling me that.”
“Once a roctal, Grev, always a miserable little roctal,” she replied.
“Let's go,” the young woman whispered.
“Where?” was the boy's reply.
“If we can make it to the Cave of the Ancestors, we should be able to escape.”
In the distance, the sounds of pursuit began to grow. Grev felt the girl's hand on his sleeve as she began to pull him along. Caught off balance, he went down easily when his toe hooked a large rock.
“Get up, you fool,” the young woman hissed as she tugged at his tunic.
The boy climbed to his feet, the rock he had tripped over now tightly in his grip. “Tasmia,” Grev said.
“We don't have time for this?” she replied.
“But, I've figured out how to escape,” he said.
Though her face was still masked by the shadows, her body language indicated she was intrigued. “How?”
Faster than she could react, Grev brought the rock up and slammed it against her temple. She witness an explosion of stars before everything went black and she hit the ground.
Grev reached down and felt for a pulse. Finding it, he smiled, hoping she could hear him but doubting she did. “I can escape by leaving them you, my dear cousin.”
Reaching into his bag of loot, he dropped the item from the case—a small stone statue of the Shadow Queen—into her hands. “If they get their statue back and the culprit who possesses it, the authorities should be satisfied.”
He disappeared into the night, pausing only once on his way to the Cave of Ancestors to listen for pursuers; there were none.
Part Two
“Tasmia Mallor.”
The voice, distinctively female, was both seductive and powerful. The young woman looked around her prison cell and at the door. Aside from herself, she was alone.
“Tasmia, my child.”
“Who are you to call me child?” she asked, defiantly.
“Your cousin, Grev, has received the blessings of the Shadows of the Cave of Ancestors,” the voice continued.
“What do I care?” Tasmia inquired.
“That was intended to be your power,” the voice replied.
“Not only has that little roctal stolen my freedom,” Tasmia began, “I find out now he has stolen power intended to be mine. If I could get free, I would kill him and take back what is mine.”
“Your freedom is not far off,” the voice told her. “As for the power, I can give you what you desire.”
“Who are you that promises such things?”
There was amusement in the voice when it replied. “Just know I will require something of you once these things come to pass.”
“When will I receive my freedom, my power?” Tasmia asked, still looking around the cell.
“Soon shall your freedom come.”
“And my power?” No sooner were the words past her lips did the shadows from the four corners of the cell come alive.
Like the tentacles of a great sea monster seeking prey, the shadows crept toward the lone occupant. Her first instinct was to flee, but Tasmia pushed her primal fear aside and stood still. As the first of the dark strands touched her flesh, her blue skin grew cold, frighteningly so. To her credit, however, the young woman refused to scream. It was only when she was completely engulfed did she open her mouth. The cold and darkness began to invade her every pore and orifice until it filled her entire body. With the last of the room's shadows now inside her, Tasmia Mallor fell unconscious.
The cell was silent, but only for a moment. Cold, malicious laughter, coming from everywhere and nowhere, filled the cell.
Part Three
Tasmia's captivity continued for another five months, but rather than lament her fate and the unfulfilled promise of freedom, she practiced daily with her new powers. With each passing day, her control over the darkness grew more focused and precise. Biding her time, she prepared for the day she would gain her freedom at her own hand.
“Tasmia,” a familiar voice called from outside her cell door. “Are you in there?”
“Grev? Is that you?” her surprise outweighing her anger.
“Step away from the door,” her cousin instructed her.
Tasmia did as she was bid. “I am clear.”
Darkness began to seep in between the cracks and latch onto the door from the inside. There was a groan from the wooden door as it began to buckle and crack. In an explosion of darkness, it shattered, but, surprisingly enough, she felt no impact. Grev stepped in, followed by pink-skinned off-worlder.
“I never expected to see you again,” Tasmia said, her voice barely masking her rage.
“Nor I you,” Grev replied. “I am leaving Talok VIII to make my fortune and gain the power this planet would never allow me to have.”
“So, why are you here?” Tasmia asked.
The young man held out his hand. “Because I have power now.” A ball of pitch black energy began to form into a ball in his palm.
“Power that should have rightfully been mine,” Tasmia said, reaching out and grabbing her cousin's hand. “You took my power, my treasure, and a year of my life. Now, I'm taking what is due me back.”
Grev's eyes grew wide as he realized Tasmia was unaffected by his power. The off-worlder took a step back, her expression showing her contentment to let things play out among family. She brushed a wayward strand of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes as she watched.
“What...what are you doing?” Grev stammered.
Darkness oozed from every pore of Tasmia's body until it surrounded both of them. “I'm taking back what is mine,” she hissed.
Although Grev's scream brought a smile to the off-worlder's face, she was showing no emotion when the darkness around the cousins faded. There was no doubt, however, she was impressed at the woman's power.
Tasmia stood alone, and what was left of Grev was crumpled on the floor of the cell. His body was little more than a husk; every once of life and power had been drained from him.
“Who are you?” Tasmia asked, globes of black energy forming around her clenched fists as she spoke.
“I offered your cousin a place in my organization,” the woman said. “Apparently, I chose the wrong cousin.”
“Obviously,” Tasmia said, her words filled with contempt, “he is no long interested.”
“Then, I would like to extend the same invitation to you.”
“You never answered my question,” Tasmia reminded her. “Who are you?”
“Do you want to leave this world behind?” the woman asked.
Sensing she was not going to get a straight answer until the woman was ready, she replied. “Yes. Yes I do.”
“My name is Ayla,” the woman said. “Welcome to my Legion.”
