After parting with Krystianna shortly after their adventure to save a friendly cleric, Shadow found himself staring into the eyes of a past enemy, turned friend. He studdied the eyes of his counter-part, searching her for a soul to judge, a soul to comfort. He found none of the sort. All he saw was pure, unimaginable, hopelessness. Even if they had rescued her, Diana still felt compelled to ask Shadow for his forgivness every time they met on the passage home. The prisoner they picked up, naming himself Luke, showed no emotion towards anything either except for Shadow.

Shadow didn't like the attention. All the time he hid in the shadows and the first time he comes out BAM he makes two friends that think him a savior. It bewildered him. How could anyone care so much for a single human being? Of course, the magic of Shadow was something to fear, going stronger with every practice session he had with an unlucky doll. He wanted away from their eyes, prying him for some other light to save them from what, he didn't know. Each time he shrugged, it seemed to lower their hearts, making it sink further into the blackness.

As the arrived back on the main islands. the merchant thanked Krystianna and Shadow and then parted ways with him. Saying he had unfinished business to attend to with the Shadow Theives. Whenever Shadow suggested that he would most likely die during the fighting, he mearly grinned and said "At least I'll take down as many as I can."

After a few days of sleeping in the wilderness, not wanting to stay at the Inn, for fear of a vengence attack from the assassins, Shadow now sat at a tree stump, sitting on some chopped wood for a chair, Diana doing the same. She looked into his bright, azure eyes, not similing, not crying, not begging for anything. Just sitting there, enjoying the wordless conversation.

When Shadow spoke, it was in a whisper for fear of smashing the bliss quiet like glass. " Diana, I want to know why you were selected to work for the Shadow Theives. Why you? And where did you get that golden rod?" Diana's answer came slowly, with a slight quivering of her voice.

"Many years back, I used to work on a farm, with my father and mother. It was a beautiful place. I remember the day like it was yesterday...a light breeze flowing through the corn stalks. My mother, humming, as she bent over her work in the flower garden. Father out with the dogs, looking for game," she paused, a lump caught in her throat. After a few moments, she continued, her voice growing more stern: " When we were about to sit down for dinner, it happened. First, two small darts in the back of my father and then another one in my mothers neck. I ran for the house, screaming....after a few days, a band of people where black cloths, like your own, came to my house. They asked me what happened to my parents and why I was alone in such a big house.

"After telling them everything, they told me to come with them. They said they would give me food, shelter and a nice play to live in. It sounded fair and all the wanted in return was my service to their cause. I didnt mind torturing people, because I was taught they were bad, vicious, criminal people who were traitors to their fellow man. It was years before I figured out that the people who I were staying with, were acutally the murders of my family.

"Still, I waited for the day that someone would come to rescue me. When you were captured and I first saw the look in your eye, I knew it would be you. Thats why I was so ready to leave. I wanted out, I NEEDED out." Diana stopped, sobbing a little as Shadow sat in mute silence. He pondered the thought of Shadow Theives being nice, but quickly dismissed it, finding it irrelevant.

"Diana, I never knew. Forgive me. It should not be you who is asking for forgivness, but me. All those years and I hated you with a fiery passion. Now that fire is gone, replaced only with care. Diana, forgive me." He said somberly, hanging his head. She got up and came over to him, hugging him while he held his head in his hands. Not crying, but thinking bitterly.

After a while, it donned on him that this was the first time someone had ever hugged him out of care, and that this was the first time he had ever cared for someone. He knew that although Diana had been his torture and captor, he knew that that past was ended. A new future awaited them.

Luke came all of the sudden out of the tress, rushing towards the two of them. Suddenly, a throwing knife landed with a sickening THUNK on the back of his head. Diana flicked her wrist and immediantly, a small dagger came to her hand. Shadow brought up his staff, along with his magic. Waiting for what seemed forever for a break in the murders stealth. All Shadow needed was a target. Rage fueled his instincts, along with grief of the sudden death of his new found friend.

Shadow, jerked out of his thoughts, heard the sound of running foot steps. A man, tall and grown, leaped into the air. Shadow rolled to the side, the timber he had been using for a seat fell over. Diana stayed close to Shadow, fearing that if they were seperated, the same quick death would befall them like had Luke.

As the man landed on the ground right where Shadow had been standing, he noticied that the assassin was unarmed. What fool would come into battle unarmed? Shadow thought. Then, as quickly as the dagger had hit Luke, the relization hit Shadow.

A man with a magical gift would come unarmed...oh no.

As his mind went through the possibiltes of magical talents the man had, Shadow grabbed Diana and ran her to a safer location, away from the assassin who was starting to get to his feet. "Stay here," he told her "unless Im in serious danger, I think it would be best if you stayed out of this." She nodded her grim approval, though he could still see her knuckles were white on the hilt of her dagger.

Shadow advanced slowly towards the man. Rage burned through him like fire through wood. This man had killed Luke. This man was going to test death, if it was the last breath Shadow had in him. As the stared at each other, the man cocked his head to see behind Shadow. He smirked, an awful mouthful of crooked and missing teeth showed behind his thin lips.

"Well well well. What a lucky surpirse. The traitor and the cleric. My, the boss WILL be pleased when I bring you two in to him."

"Good luck with that." Shadow said, his pericing blue eyes fixed on the mans chest. All he needed was the will, the magic waited impatiently. All it needed was the will of the caster and the act. Shadow allowed it that will, he allowed it that single act.

A burst of fire engulfed the air above the man's right hand, then another in his left. He grinned again, showing off his ugly teeth. As he did so, the threw the flaming balls straight for Shadow. Shadow rolled to the side as he dodged one, then stayed crouched and rolled in front of him in order to dodge the second. Shadow knew that if anyone one of those had hit him, he was dead meat. But so was the same for the other mage.

As he sprang up from his crouched position, Shadow thrust his hands out at the assassin. Instantly, the three glowing balls of fire rotated up the man. He didnt seem perplexed though. Instead, he seemed perfectly happy. He centered his hand so it was just above the fire as ir passed over his stomach. The fire grounded to a halt. Still circling him, but not moving upward, or crossing over to cut the man in two. Shadow was dumb-founded. Still, as the man focused on the fire at hand, diminishing of the two balls of fire by, what looked like, unweaving it, Shadow released a new spell. More potent spell. The caster never saw it coming.

Shadow whispered the ending arcane ruins and then pointed two fingers staright at the man. A rock popped out from behind him, towering to just over his size. The assassin, still dealing with the fire, with now only one remaining, looked up just in time to see his ending. A gale blew across the trees, coming from no where. Dead branches fell from tree tops. The whole camp sight flapped with the strength of the wind. The force his the mage smack in the ribs. As he flew back, the one thing Shadow had been waiting to see flashed onto his face...fear.

**SMACK**

As the man hit the rock wall, his frail chest crunches, showing his ribs almost clearly through his shirt. Blood splatters the rock wall as it decensends back to soil. Shadow walked over to Diana, a shocked look on her face.

How come people are always amazed when I do magic, but not when anyone else does it? Is it really that special? Shadow thought, helping Diana to her feet, She brushed some twigs from off her clothes, a stray leaf in her hair combed out. Suddenly, she looked over at Luke's dead body, his muscles still rigid from when he was hit. She broke down then, sobbing into his shoulder as he comforted her.

For the first time in his life, Shadow was being kind. For the first time in his life, Shadow was actually feeling emotions, with the other surprising detail that Diana had emotions. He let her lean on him, not knowing what else to do as it was his first time in this position.

"I supposed we should give him a proper burial," he said after her crying quieted down. She could only nod her approval.

After the proper burial of Luke, Shadow rolled up his belongings, or what was left of them, and threw them in a fire. Only wanting to be ridden of his memory. Although they felt they might get attacked again, Shadow and Diana stayed in the forest only moving farthur in, making the sound of the town near them a whisper. But even as the moved away to safer grounds, they kept on their toes. Ready for any attack that might come their way.

As they entered a familar region of the forest, Shadow moved off the path towards the stench of death that rolled out from a open area. As he moved out of the line of trees, Shadow spyed what he was looking for.

Lying all over the ground were the bones and still rotting skin of several dead wear-wolves. Vivid images sprung into his mind as he walked over the corpses. Most were already picked clean of meat, and so only bones lay. But since it haden't been long since the pitched battle in the woods, some frayed skin and muscle tissue still stuck to the bones. Diana pinched her nose and followed Shadow through, not wanting to look at the dead creatures.

As they reached the edge of the clearing, Shadow looked one last time at the battlefield then marched off, Diana in tow. He marched along for a while, falling only twice on the roots of trees and other plants that hid in the underbrush. Diana looked nervously around in the uncharted area. Shadow knew right where they were though and soon, they popped out of the forest. Rolling hills flooded his eyes as he looked for the next check point.

As it got dark, Shadow and Diana sat wearily down on the rough grass of the hills. They were roughly half way towards the next waypoint and the next day, Shadow was determined to meet his destination. Diana looked feeble as she layed down on the grass and bunched some up at her head to support herself. She turned her back to him as he gathered some rocks and lit a fire on the mostly dead grass. The fire would burn for a long time, he knew, with or without the grass.

Shadow looked out at the empty darkness. The hair on the back of his neck standed on end as his passed over a crop of trees in the distance. He gripped his staff all the tighter, his knuckles going white on the bare wood. He knew they were out there...stalking him and his companion. He scanned over the trees once more before sitting down on the grass. He could feel them coming, seeing it in his minds eye.

As Shadow fell over on the grass backwards, he slipped into unconciousness. His dreams, however, were not something he wanted to see. He dreamt of the morning, getting up with the sun just breaking. He looked over to Diana to see her dead, three knives in her chest. He looked around and jumped to his feet, looking around with haste. No one. He kneeled down, mourning for Diana when a sickening thud rang out from behind him. As he fell to the ground he turned and saw one assassin, a smile spreading over his face as Shadow hit the ground.

----

Shadow awoke with a cold sweat, and looked around, grabbing his staff. It was the middle of the night and the moon loomed overhead. Diana slept softly and quietly on her mat of dead grass. The fire still burned, warding off the darkness like a guard would for a king coming through a crowd. He studied the darkness, running his eyes over the crop of trees that made him cautious just a few hours ago. They same feeling didn't return anywhere he looked. A frigid gale of wind whipped through the poorly made camp, stirring Diana. She looked up at Shadow with sleepy eyes.

"Shadow...what are you doing up so early...what time is it?" She said, yawning at the end. As she her eyes focused more, she saw his alarm and crouched down next to him. "What? What is it?"

"I dont know," he replied,"...must have just been a dre-" He stopped mid sentence. His hair standed up on the back of his neck and arms. Lighting a small ball of fire, he stalked out into the trees, not 20 feet away. Once he looked around inside for a while he came out again, to the camp. He shook his head at Diana and she relaxed too.

Just for good measure, Shadow through his ball straight at the dead trees and plants. They immediantly caught fire and burned quickly. If anyone had been inside, they werent anymore. Finished with his deed, Shadow turned back to Diana and was surprised to see her eyes in shock.

Suddenly he knew why she was so shocked. A small dart stuck out from her neck and she tried to say something but instead gurgled and feel backwards in a heap. Shadow stared around at the darkness, pulling his cloak into his hand, ready for a few darts...or knives.

*Click*Click*Click*Click*.......*Click*

Five deadly darts were shot at Shadow. Being so small and so dark, he could barley make them out in the moon light. He caught two in his cloak, whirling it around as a sheild. Another two passed over his right shoulder, barley missing his neck or shoulder. The fifth was slower and aimed straight at his head. He feel just in time and the dart wizzed overhead, falling harmlessley to the ground a little bit behind him.

Now it was his turn.

Two balls of liquid fire lit the darkness, and he launched them quickly at the general direction of the darts. Both missied, but in the passing lighting, he saw the five no...6 assassins, one dressed in mage clotheing. Great...just what I need, another mage. Shadow thought, concentrating on his mission. Three balls of fire erupted on one of the assassins, turning him into a human torch. The other 4 kept coming, with the mage standing in the back, hands in his robe sleeves. Shadow whirled around his staff, parrying barley two blows and dodgeing a third. The 4 arrived just in time to be whacked in the legs as Shadow went down. As Shadow fell, he brought down his staff on the tripped assassin, a crack resounding in the night air. The body twitched as the vital fluids leaked from the mans cracked skull.

The three asssassins advanced on Shadow not caring about the human torch or the twitching comrad. As they got in range, Shadow lifted his hand and pointed his palm over their heads. Water rage through the newly made waterfall, crashing down on two and catching one in the back. The two assassins fell to the ground, losing their bearings and focus. The other quickly got up and pursued Shadow.

Shadow still lay on the ground, prone. He lifted his staff, blocking three deadly slashes from the assassins finely sharpened blade. As Shadow finally got up to his feet, the assassin dashed around him, whipping out his blade to cut Shadow in two. Instead of running forwards however, he was pushed backwards, a gale of wind knocking the breath from his lungs. He struggled to get away and missied the rocks in the back, falling on the two bodys of his buddys.

Shadow, his out-stretched arms pointed at where the man used to be, heaved, kneeling slightly at the amount of energy he had used in such a quick fashion. It astonished him to the point to think that it wasnt real. That it was just another dream. Something in the back of his mind told him otherwise. Finishing off the three unconcious men, Shadow ran at them with two balls of fire, tossing them at the bottom two, creating a roast for the third one on top. And if that wasnt enough, Shadow thunked his staff at the chest of the cooking body, killing him for good. The fire burned until the stench of burned flesh became unbearable and finally extinguished himself.

Relieved of the battle, one important detail slipped his mind. The mage. Completely forgetting about the mage, Shadow ran over to Diana to see if she was awake yet. Instead, he found her still sleeping soundly like before, only a dart stuck from her neck. Removing the dart, Shadow threw it to the side and took out the two darts still in his cloak. He tossed them to the fire, letting them burn. What happened next jolted his memory of the mage.

*Click*

The dart was so unexpected, and so close, that it caught Shadow in the leg, penetrating the black garment he used as a sheild to such attacks. His legs and arms went numb and his mind reeled to understand what was happening to him. His eyes rolled off to the right, a chuckling mage standing not to far off. Shadow felt, for the first time in a long time, have fear wash over him. He was going back to the Shadow Theives.

I'm ending this now...this is the last time they will bother me... These were his last concious thoughts and then, the world went completely pitch black.

"Come on, get up."..."The more you sleep the worst it'll be"...."Thats it, I'm getting the weapon...."

"waihhhhhh..."Shadow despertly tried to say,"waaaaaaiiiittt!" The room was still dark and the bite of metal chains cut his wrists. A cloth was tightly wound around his fingers, preventing any magic. His feet were left to dangle, barley on the ground. He knew this feeling. So familiar yet such an old feeling. He tried to breath but all he got was a coughing fit filled with blood. He lifted his 10 ton eyelids enough to see a concrete floor stained with blood.

"What's this? Finally awake are we. Good, I would," the voice chuckled, "hate to have to hurt you some more." The voice started to laugh loudly before it was silenced by a thwack. Whoever had been speaking hadn't pleased their master.

"Silence fool. Now then, lets see if we can get him to open his eyes a little more." As soon as the sentence ended, a sharp jab of pain came from his leg. Shadow's eyes lit up and open like lanterns. "Ahhh, there we go. Now, can we get them to focus, hm?" Another fountain of pain erupted from his shoulder, blood trickled down onto his back, and sure enough his eyes were focused on the room suddenly around him.

It was lit with two burning torches, feeling the room with the accrid smell of pitch. A vent at the top of the room did little to ventilate the air, but it kept the room clear and not smoggy. A tough, burley man was leaning on the side of the wall, more then a dozen weapons and torture equipment on his belt. His face was ugly and stained, small thin lips with a rough nose and small eyes too. Shadow scanned the rest of the room, noticing the iron door with the viewing slit in the top of it. Concrete walls broken by aging and large concrete benches lined the room.

Shadow knew this is was no ordinary torture chamber. He knew the room all to well. This room was the interrogation room, the worst place of them all. Anyone sent here usually died in a couple of days. Shadow had once used this room...scorch marks from previous times still darkened the walls. The everlasting smell of death hung in the air like a fog. Shadow tried his fingers, no luck. The man behind him chuckled, whipping Shadow across the back of the head.

The man leaning on the wall ahead of Shadow was older then he, and more talented. His clothes were stained from blood, most likley Shadow's, and his stench hurt Shadow's nostrils more then the pitch of the torches. At the sight of the hit on Shadow, the man barked a laugh, setteling a smirk on his face.

"Now then, Shadow, how long has it been? Do you remember. We do. We never forget Shadow, and you know that. We never forget...or forgive." A wave of pain came from Shadow's back as he despertly tried to pull a breath. It was hard, and the more he took in deeper the daggers in his ribs went. He cursed in agony.

"Forgive for not coming back."Shadow said between breaths," but I didn't want anything to do with that arresting." Shadow grinned to himself, knowing that what he said would bring back unhappy memories.

"SILENCE" The man bellowed, kicking Shadow in the ankles. Once he was done with that, he moved around the front of Shadow. It was the mage who had captured him. A sneer was on his face." Now then. I've heard an awful lot about you. They say you were the best in the business. HA! I doubt it. But I want to prove it to myself." He flciked his wrist backwards, sending a small crossbow dart at the torture still positioned on the wall. He did so without a look over his shoulder. Shadow knew it was only luck that it hit the man in the neck.

Never the less, the man fell instantly to the ground, his sight being robbed from him along with conciousness. Shadow never took his eyes off the mage infront of him. He never flinched as the mage unlocked the shackles attached to his wrists. Shadow fell on painful legs to the ground till he could get some strength back. Once he had a little bit of strength, he stood up and removed the wrappings around his fingers, using his teeth and wriggeling his hands.

"I'm impressed. Most people fell flat on the floor, never to stand again. I truley am amazed you can stand." His expression turned sour. "But once Im done with you, you wont have legs to stand on. Let alone a body to live in." With that, he spun towards the door. "I'm giving you a day of rest and food. Regain your strength, I want to fight you in your prime. A healer will be sent in eventually to tend to your wounds." With that, he swung open the giant medal door, strood outside then locked the door behind him.

Shadow stood there, stunned. He was going to be challanged...for his life. He had his hands free, his power was starting to be restored. Sitting down on cold bench, Shadow wondered what would happen to him in the next couple of days. He wondered if anyone knew of the mages intent. Taking one look at the man on the ground told Shadow no one did.

As Shadow regained his strength, he finished off the prone target laying on the ground. A quick fireball was enough to end his already drained life. Shadow took no pleasure in it. More though he felt pity for the man. This man had no idea about the mage. This man was just a pawn. At anyrate, Shadow did force the dead body out as the priest arrived. He was schocked to see who it was.

Diana strood into the room, head bowed, a brown, torn cloak around her shoulders and a skin-tight outfit covering the rest of her. The outfit was of a dark, midnight black. She wore no grin at seeing Shadow, no pleasing delight. Instead, her face was lopsided, a heavy frown on her mouth. Shadow whispered her name, but she didn't respond. Instead she only went to her work, casting white light on his inflicted wounds, healing them after a few moments.

Shadow felt the odd material soak into his bones, revidilsing his strength both in magic and in physical traits. His shoulder became numb then was lost of all pain entirely. His back and legs immediantly tightened and flexed on their own as the power to move was returned to them. He looked up at her, closing his eyes to feel deeper inside at the inner strength. Once the job was done, and the glow diminished, she stepped toward the door, but then stopped.

Droplets of water splashed on the floor as a silent sob came up from her throat. Shadow got up and put his arm around her, asking her what was wrong.

"I can't do this anymore Shadow," she said, "I can't do back to doing what I did..." She paused for a moment, staring down at the floor in thought. Then she looked back up at him, tears in her eyes and streaking down her cheeks. "Please...spare me this pain...." She left the ending of the phrase unsaid, but he knew what she meant.

"Diana, I can't take an innocent life...I couldn't." He too, stared down at the floor. "But if it is your wish...then I shall grant it for you..." He looked into her eyes, a small smile spread on her face. He let her go, then, and stepped a good distance back. "Goodbye, Diana."

An immense ball of light faded in just above her head, hovering there. Shadow concentrated as he hovered it there. "Goodbye." A beam of pure white energy shot down onto her skull, pericing it directly and then shooting down through the rest of her. The beam intensifed and expanded, covering her entire body and filling the entire room with a blinding light. No shout of agony or painful cry came from her as the light engulfed her. Shadow had to shield his eyes as the process continued, not being able to look at the tremendous light.

The light finally started to fade, and Diana's body was nothing but a lifeless corpse. She was crumpled on the ground like trash, waded up and thrown carelessy over one's shoulder. No breath came from her body and no tinkle came from her eye. A dreadful silence hung in the room like the smell of the burning pitch and the only thing moving was the torches on the walls. Shadow looked away from the dead body, not wanting to stare at her anymore. Eventually, he proped her up on the bench, leaning her on the wall. A few hours later, Shadows dual would occur.

A few hours after Diana's sweet release from her world of agony, the mage who challenged returned. His attire was a simple green robe, stretching down to the top of his soles on his shoes. His hair was thick and spread out around his head. As soon as he walked in he noticied the dead corpse, snapping his fingers and allowing two guards to enter the room and carry, more like throw, the body out of the cell. Shadow stared him dead in the eye as he did so, showing no emotion, no hint of regret for delivering Diana to the afterlife. The mage spoke first, ending the silence.

"Well, looks like the little wench did her job...a pity to lose such a fine...entertainer..."he chuckled, his smile withering as he scaled Shadow up again. A flash of misjudgement passed on his eyes for but a moment before pure confidence replaced it. "Well, are we ready to die then?"

"I've been wanting to die for a long time. Tell me though, what name should I put on your tomb stone when I order the Shadow Theives to bury you...hm?" Shadow countered, chuckleing himself. To end his laugh, the mage through his old staff to him. Shadow quickly inspected it, noticing no marks or symbols to change the properties of it.

"The name is Agies, and you'll remember it when you spend an eternity in hell!" To punctuate his ending statement, three darts flicked from his right hand, flying at Shadow with insane speed. Shadow twirled and ducked, his cloak going under the darts along with the rest of his body, causing them to defelct against the wall. Agies growled, starting to chant. Shadow does the same, but after he pickes up the three darts and closes them in his fist, making sure to wrap his hand in his cloak first.

Agies finishes first, launching two balls of fire straight at Shadow, following it quickly with a thrust with a staff. Shadow dodges left then right and rolls forwards in front of the staff to miss it partially. He jumped up, standing close enough to feel the mage's breath. Sensing his time, Shadow produces the three darts from his hand, thrusting them outward and into his exposed left rib.

Agies crys out, falling to the floor. The sleeping agent starts to know him out, but before it can, Shadow graps the darts and yanks them out, causing a minor amount to go in so he only loses his motor skills. As he does, his finishes his slow casting and creates a small fire in his palm. As he lifts his arm, pointing to fingers at Agies chest, his eyes widen. A silent sceam comes from inside the man's throat.

"Goodbye, Agies. Join your brother Shadow Theives in hell for me, wont you?" With that, Shadow loosens his hold on the fire, flying it at Agie's chest. It explodes on impact, sending small quantites of fire all over his body. Shadow turns away as burning continues. Once he's sure Agies is dead, Shadow extinguishes the fire with a snap of his magic.

After a few minutes, Shadow steps towards the door of the cell. He trys the handel and finds it unlocked. Two burley guards stand to the sides, a wide open door not to far down the hall. Birds chirped and crickets respoded, echoing down the stone hall into the cell. At the creak of the door, the guards take a breif glance at Shadow, but not trying to stop him. Without looking at each other or at Shadow, one of them speaks.

"Prisoner Shadow was killed in a brutal fight. Unfortunetly so was a preist and torture. The man in command of Shadow took responsibily for not torturing Shadow long enough and kills himself. Shadow is whiped from the list of missing traitors."

Apparently at Agies failing, he was willing to let Shadow go free. Shadow no longer had to constantly look over his shoulder for following theives, or keep himself to locked away from society. Shadow, to the Shadow Theives, was dead and therefore a freeman. Overwhelming joy absorbed Shadow as he raced headlong out the door, ending his bad past.

--END--

Shadow + 1 Lvl, 2500 Gold