Chronicles of Contessa: Shadows of the Heart

The light of the city shone through the window even at night, disturbing the young Prince as he held his ghostly fabric to his body. The nights here was the best he had slept in a great while, the castle was always so very noisy to him. His thoughts kept him awake, as well as the dreams of his mother reaching with her fingers of bone.
Now that he thought of that he opened his red eyes and stared at the room behind his eyelids, the white glowing holiness beaming through his window. He did not belong in these halls and pillars of gods, it made him feel like he was home again, brimming with the prospect of a golden crown outshining his true beliefs.
Lanzon had stayed at the brothel until very late, Lucca’s eyes trailed to his body, his scales glistening from the window light. He was a very large creature, Lucca had always known but it looked humorous to the Prince to see him sprawled on the bed the only way a drunkard could. His arms hung off either side nearly touching the marble floor his breath was sporadic and he mumbled slightly, either drunk regular talk or in his native tongue.
He was pretty much naked, as naked as a lizard man can be, only the white fluttering cloth covered his lower extremities. Lucca was trying not to laugh mockingly at his companion, his dark scales and yellow midsection were such a contrast to this very city. On his arm were forty ribbons, must have been tokens of affection from the floating girls at his bar.
Lucca stood deciding he could not sleep any more this night, he dawned his robe and walked out of his room leaving the sleeping lizard. Upon leaving the room he turned and saw a staircase, and heading upward was the soft shadow on the wall. Lucca followed.

The stairs carried on for many floors but he felt no fatigue in the walls of this land, another gift from the sparkling glory of the heaven on earth that was Atmostherea. He stepped to the roof and saw the young maiden that was healing his wounded arm earlier that very day, Sori was her name. Lucca walked over to her and stood next to her, when she finally noticed him she jumped a little and backed away.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to distract you from your sleep” she said with a rather sad tone, “I can take you back to your room” she offered
“I am not tired, I was going to have something to drink but… I don’t think about my needs when I look at this city”
“How do you mean?”
“I don’t think of anything when I see something this beautiful, it’s not like my home, I see freedom here”
“Even the brightest places can cast the darkest shadow” she said somewhat killing Lucca’s mood.
“But, everyone seems so peaceful… the lights out glow heaven, what could possibly be wrong here?”
“The city is beautiful, but the people can be quite cruel”
“Most are like that I find” Lucca says concurring, he leans on the stone overlooking the city as the lights dance in his red eyes.
“Where are you going?” she asked him suddenly
“I’m not sure… I’m am on my way to discover my true path, and become a Lizaberian Shadow” he said boldly, Sori cringed at the words.
“You would give your very soul to the darkness… it is a fate worse then death”
“Believe me I have thought of that as well, but I must adhere to this calling it is what I have always wanted”
She looks somewhat angry and he gazes at her, her beauty was not unlike the city itself so captivating he was afraid to look away.

“You will lose a part of yourself, and may never get it back” she says
“You seem to know a great deal of the Shadows, do you know where they are?”
“My brother was a shadow, and now I have lost him forever in their clutches it has been ten years since I last saw his face”
“Sacrifices are sometimes necessary” Lucca said, Sori walked up to him quickly and stood within an inch of his eyes which were powerless to hers. She slapped him across the face, the sound echoed into the night. Lucca was motionless and shocked, his head facing the direction her blow left him.
She stared at him breathing hard, he turned his head back to her this time his eyes were overpowering her she stepped back and he stepped forward.
“You dare” he said maliciously but she was resolute.
“You shouldn’t speak of things you don’t know”
“You struck a Prince young maiden… my court would have you dead”
“I don’t see your court in the land of Atmostherea, and I see now that you are also a coward unable to see to your own duties” she said angrily. Lucca seized her arms and pulled her close she struggled little, for her eyes were in his.
“You are… very beautiful” Lucca said, his eyes widened, it had not been what he wanted to say. She smiled quickly but hid it and looked away leaving his grip.
“You are right…” he said and she looked back at him, “I should not have spoken that way on your family… and I am a coward” he turned and walked away and down the stairs into the hospital.
Her face was still slightly red from his compliment and she turned her face to the city.

In hopes a breeze would cool her thoughts.

Lucca would often visit the roof at nights, sometimes he would see that beautiful girl and sometimes not. When she was there he would watch her, she would look at him too but only swiftly making it look as though she was just gliding her eyes over the city; not over him. This one particular night he was alone to take in the atmosphere of this glowing land, a part of him never wanted to leave but another wanted his dark purpose to be fulfilled.
And on this very night, the devil on his shoulder spoke out but not in the form of any lingering thought but in true solid and deep voice.
Lucca saw something from the corner of his eye, a young man standing on the ledge of the building. His clothes were not like those of the people here, they were of a land Lucca had never known. He wore a leather vest of black and soft lofty sleeves fell like wisps of cloud from the garments exits. They fluttered in the wind a clash of white against the dark midsection, his pants were a dark hue but the night was good at covering all things like ash.
The boots were also dark and shone slightly, the only glow leather can make. His belt drooped on his left hip and wrapped tightly on its loop was a large sword. It had exquisite markings and glimmered of silver and gold, the handle was a mess of twisted metals and wrapped about the hilt to guard the users hands.
After looking at his trappings Lucca’s eyes neared his head, the slightly longer then should length hair was also white as fresh snow and looked as cold. It too fluttered as this man gazed at the city, his eyes intent on thinking and only that.
“Do you come here and look?” he asked suddenly and Lucca’s eyes shook away from him and he looked back at the lights.
“Yes, it is like nothing I have ever seen”
“It’s rare for people to journey this far, it is my first time away from my homeland” the boy said, to call him a boy would be uncalled for as his age was that of Lucca’s but his face was young and soft, with eyes that comforted whomever wished to see his soul.
“And also with me” Lucca responded
“And where are you going? To find yourself?” the boy said and Lucca nodded, “as am I, my life was without meaning… it then occurred to me that if life is to be lived, you must step out your door and see what’s beyond”
“And by yourself” Lucca added
“Thank you” the boy replied and stepped off the ledge to Lucca.
He held out his hand and Lucca looked at it for a moment, he had sword-wielding gloves that looked worn with practice. Lucca took his hand and they shook.
“I am Lucca” the prince said
“They call me Andrastos”
“They call you?”
“It is what I was called”
“Have you more names?”
“Sometimes… demon is one I hear far too often”
“Demon, wouldn’t the demon be the blade and not the person?”
“So you see I am good with a blade?
“I have not fought you”
“You consider that the ultimate test?” Andrastos said smirking slightly, “I admire your ego” he laughed slightly and Lucca grinned.
“I don’t mean any offence” Andrastos began, “but you look like more the type to watch the duel and not be the duelist”
“I am soft only in my upbringing but look into my eyes if you want to see power” the prince said and the boy did just that.
Their eyes met and Andrastos saw the strength in those red eyes that turned so many away, even his own family. Andrastos too looked to the city and not those eyes.
“I see you are resolute”
“Beyond all things”
“Do you seek… the land of the Shadow?” he questioned and Lucca’s eyes widened.
“How did you?”
“We are the same, we both went to seek purpose, a purpose only becoming a Shadow could do… it’s the one part of us we can never escape, the one thing that lives life on a different course an unattainable path until those with courage take the chance”
“Our own shadow is what we always wish to be” Lucca continued.
It is the same thoughts Lucca told himself the night he left the castle, the were the same these two.
“It is fate that brought us here” Andrastos said, “Perhaps we shall find our path together” he smiled and clenched his fist. Lucca smiled as well.
The two spoke long into the night, of their travels and training, Andrastos was a renown swordsmen known across the land. Lucca’s training was private and piqued the young man’s curiosity. He now wished to fight this pretty youth from a land beyond his own, of kings and princes and royalties trivialities.


“So what now?” Andrastos said as the morning light was coming over the sparkling city.
“Come with me” Lucca said
“What?”
“Or us I should say, my companion and I are journeying to the land of the Shadow, though I don’t know how much longer he will be escorting me”
“You make it seem as though he is your servant, a lizard of his size, it would be more fitting if you were clad in irons” Andrastos said looking at the Prince and smiling.
“I assure you not”
“We shall see, inform him and I’ll meet you in city center” he stepped away from Lucca and walked off the roof.
Lucca gasped and looked over the edge, the rapier wielding boy was swinging from a thin rope and into the city crowd below.

Lanzon was strapping his armor on his scales when Lucca entered and told the lizard of the white haired boy.

“Sounds like a trap” he said sheathing his sword.
“I am certain he is trustworthy”
“Trustworthy enough to wager your life perhaps”
“You forget your oath” Lucca said and that stopped Lanzon’s actions and he turned to the boy blinking both eyelids, his face that of sincerity.
“You insult me… I will take you as far as Brunelle had asked, then you can go with this boy, to bed for all I care, but I always follow through”
“I withdraw my comment” Lucca said and the two nodded at each other.
The city was bustling with activity, people walking everywhere bowing and talking the noise was annoying to the prince. They stood out greatly among the natives, their white robes and other varying hues of colour compared to the black of Lucca and the dark iron of Lanzon. People often looked to them but Lucca would only look back and they returned to their lives.
They came to a square, most immense and there saw Andrastos surveying the crowd on a marble sculpture. Lucca looked at the boy and his gaze was met, the two waved at one another but then Andrastos looked away as one would if they saw something out of the corner of their eye.
Andrastos face changed to slight anger, there was someone else that he recognized in the mass of people. Three men were walking toward the statue that Andrastos now stood upon, the crowd slowly began to stop and turn feeling the tension cease the air, halting their movements.
His hair flickered in the breeze as the three men stopped just before him and the man in the lead started to put his gloves on, dark gloves, those of a swordsman. He grinned and pulled the hood back from his head, the crowd was silent.
“Is this the one?!” he called to Andrastos, “is this… boy, the wanted man?!” his voice echoed across the square, Lanzon’s eyes were fixed on the scene as everyone else was and his hand fell to his sword.
“The one they call lightening… flash… demon of the storm?!”
“You have said my names! Why not treat the crowd to yours?!” the white haired boy said.
The man snickered and his followers pulled their swords, some people of the crowd let out small cries at this and the circle about the four men increased.
“Well I am the hunter Venator, here for the bounty on this youths head!”
“I am Atral, here to share the bounty” the man to his left said
“And I am Leyatum, I share the others wish” the man to his right said.
“Oh how fools do die young” Andrastos smiled to himself.
“The boy is too proud” Atral said moving forward.
“Let us see if the sword matches the posters” Venator commented.
Andrastos pulled his blade and dropped to their level, he tightened his gloves and stood in his stance.
“All at once or one by one?” the outlaw said to the three men, this angered them all but more so Atral. With out thinking he moved forward,
“Leave the boy to me” he said and stood in his stance facing the rapier wielding youth.
There was a pause as the two circled one another, Lucca was holding his breath, Andrastos truly was a wanted man. When Andrastos had his back to the other two men Leyatum charged, a cowardly move and he was greeted in an appropriate manner.
Andrastos heard the move and turned, Leyatum was ready to stab but moved to block instead once the boy was facing him. Andrastos swung up sending Leyatum’s blade high, the white haired boy spun around so his back was at Leyatum’s abdomen but Andrastos’s blade was cradled between the crook up his arm and his side. The blade had pierced Leyatum and blood flowed from his mouth, Andrastos stepped forward pulling the blade from the bounty collector and he fell, dead as the stone he landed upon.
Atral let his emotions get the better of him and attacked the boy blindly, Andrastos blocked his attacks with ease. Atral was becoming frustrated and swung any which way only to be deflected or even worse the boy would move his sword and Atral struck nothing but air.
Andrastos then pulled a disarming move most literally, Atral stabbed with his left and the boy took the sword in and moved it away leaving an opening. Andrastos spun again slashing like a bolt severing Astral’s left hand; and what a cry he did make, chilling Lucca’s bones.
Atral’s blood flowed from the wound but he maintained his resolve, he pulled a dagger from his belt a took a final stab in anger. Andrastos caught his hand with his left and pulled forward and down he stabbed his blade through Atral’s arm, then pulled it out the blood spraying against the clouds above. The boy then lifted Atral’s arm upward and moved underneath his arm, then with his sword stabbed Atral’s side in an upward motion. The blade shot out from his shoulder.
Atral turned to look at the sword poking from his body he spat blood and his eyes glazed, Andrastos pulled the sword out and after a few moments Atral collapsed near Leyatum. The white haired fencer turned whilst lightly slashing his sword sending blood spraying on the ground, Venator merely smiled.
“Those two were to see if the rumors were true, most inspiring in a boy your age to have tasted blood”
“I will taste it once more before today ends” he said readying himself.
“Too proud, and youth lacks experience” Venator growled and he pulled a small sharp spike, and he pulled another, and another latching each one onto the other.
Andrastos watched in anticipation as the bounty collector worked on his weapon. Once the final spike at the end was in place Venator had created a four meter spear with the spikes at either end. Venator spun the weapon like a wind mill and stood in position,

“Have at you” he whispered.