Chronicles of Contessa: Shadows of the Heart

There it was, her soft face looking into his red jewels as he slept. He knew this as his eyes were almost completely closed, he wondered to himself when he attracted her attention; perhaps it was the night on the balcony. The night when she made him realize his petty thoughts, a part of him liked her as well but he knew his time here had come.
His eyes fully opened and she looked away and looked at her small chart of parchment nervously and he grinned inside.
“Everything is in order?” he tells her and she smiles and nods standing up and walking over to the window.
“Your friend is also doing well enough to leave”
“I wish I had the skills of your people” he informs her and she takes the compliment with a shy toss of her hair. She looks to the bed where Andrastos sleeps, his eyes still closed heavily; if we left him he would probably sleep another day.
“I watched the duel… I wondered why he was wanted… until I saw him fight” she says, “he was like a razor on the wind”
“He is quite skilled”
”I don’t really wish to know his secrets” she said and nervously continued to look out the window.
Lucca stood quietly and walked over to her,
“You wish to know mine” he said most sure of himself and her restrained silence was proof enough. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she sighed,
“If you could only stay a short while longer, I would like to know more about you and your quest”
“I’m not even sure where it leads, but when I find my answer I will return to this place”
“Why would you come back, not even my own flesh and blood returned from the Shadow”
“Because there was a girl who showed me that the shadow leads to the person, and I wouldn’t be complete until I heard all she has to say” he says smiling and she could feel the grin on her neck.
He saw her face look most sincere and she brought her hand to her face quietly, Lucca turned and slapped Andrastos’s boot from the bed and he jerked forward.
“My head…” he said softly
“We have to go now, I don’t want to see any more of those bounty-folk on the way to Lizaberia”
“I should hope not, they’re after me not you” he stood his trappings loosely held by his leather belt and his shirt fluttering with the flutter of silk-like fabric.
They both left the room, and after a moment Sori followed.
The street was quiet, aside from the soft whispers among the townspeople of the battle the following day. After securing provisions they walked in silence through the street, the alley’s seemed to have eyes and Andrastos looked slightly anxious. Lucca looked to him from time to time as his eyes were shifting about his surroundings like a frightened chameleon.
“You shouldn’t worry so”
“I may have just interested every single bounty collector in the city, no reason for worry” his sarcasm felt thick in the soft air and Lucca smirked to himself.
“But…” Andrastos began, “it seems you’ve interested the eyes of a fair lady at that infirmary” he said smiling. Lucca turned and saw Sori looking at him from the roof of the building where they had first met, she almost looked away wondering how he had known where she was but kept looking at him and smiled quickly waving her hand in a endearing manner and he stopped and looked at her smiling slightly. He took his hand and held it to his chest without pulling his eyes from her and she looked touched from the movement, Lucca bowed and the pair vanished into the crowd and she wondered when his eyes would look into hers again.
His movement said: Do not forget, I shall return…
It had been many miles from the city, Andrastos and Lucca had been on their trek for nearly a full day without speaking a word to one another. It was almost humorous, not to them but anyone observing them for this set of time. They were so similar in attitude toward others they couldn’t start off a conversation about anything in particular. It was Andrastos who initiated on the rooftop, so Lucca felt obliged to rekindle their past interest in the Shadow’s.
The wood was thick now, and the natural cool air of the trees was calming having crossed the vast meadow on the other side of the glowing city.
“What are you wanted for?” Lucca said as his friend walked in front of him, Andrastos turned and cocked an eyebrow smiling.
“I killed a man, and many since… I was wanted for murder and there was a hefty price on my head for such crimes”
“I see…”
“Don’t let it dissuade you from keeping my company, I don’t kill for any whimsical reason”
“It’s good to hear”
“Have you ever killed?”
“No… but I hold no qualms about fighting for myself, and killing those who stand in my way”
“Very resolute… though it is one thing to say it… and to commit the act. I’ sure the Shadows will teach us the ways”
“I am counting on it” Lucca said with finality.
The woods were deep and quiet,
“What of the little woman at the city?” Andrastos asked, keeping that same grin on his face that was usually there.
“What of her?” Lucca replied
“You seem to hold her thoughts close… I know this good Lucca, the Shadows will not look fondly on earthly attachments”
”Where did you hear this?”
“I discovered a book in the depths of a castle once long ago and it was the Creed of the Shadows: Teachings of the Art of Darkness”
“I never knew they had such things, what did it say?”
“The book turned to dust soon after I opened the page where it began to list the oaths of those with the blades of the Shadow, it said:
1. Hold not close those of the light, as in a moments time one must flee without thought.
2. Dance like a sharp leaf, let always your blade find the enemies flesh.
3. Darkness is your only true ally, a human is fallible.
4. Love nothing.
5. Only your brothers and sisters in the fold are worth your sword in defense.
6. To dawn the mask is to hold all these truths, and to break them will destroy you.
7. Know always your choice is naught.
8. Behold the warrior of the Lizaberian Shadow, let earth tremble where your soles touch”
Lucca listened intensely and was suddenly all the more eager to reach this forbidden land. But oddly his mind thought of Sori, and her final wave… thinking perhaps she would never see him again, and now it seems it would be true. Lucca was shaking his head from his thoughts, it was not like him to be so fond of others in the first place, but the air of Atmostherea had changed his blood from constant anger to complacent calm.


A drop of rain fell from the sky and tapped on Lucca’s head. He looked up and saw the clouds overhead ready to burst with fresh water from the heavens. Andrastos scowled at the clouds and saw an immense tree and pointed to it, Lucca nodded, the pair neared the oak and stood before its great presence. Andrastos opened his bag and pulled a little book from the depths of the sack.
Lucca looked confused as he looked at the small book for whatever he was searching for, the rain was falling more frequently now.
“I don’t think we can burrow into so strong a tree”
“We won’t have to” Andrastos replied as he looked over the words in some ancient writing alien to Lucca.
Andrastos found the page and studied the words before closing the book and walking over to the tree, kneeling before it.
“Res no quiella de ipsa nos fillia dem quelterros” Andrastos said and after a short silence all sound around them ceased.
Lucca saw the rain falling but nothing emitted from it striking the petals and leafs. He dropped his bag and no noise came. Andrastos had his eyes closed, then a green sparkle formed a half circle and swooped into the tree carving a perfect hole for a nightly stay above the roots. The green sparkle flashed brilliant white igniting the deepest tree the eye could see in illumination, Lucca was mystified and his mouth was gaping open in wonder.
The light disappeared and left a single sparkle floating downward and when it hit the earth it danced like a spark from a fire and finally subsided. Andrastos stepped into the tree where the new hole was and Lucca stumbled as the sound returned to his ears.
“I didn’t know you were a magician”
“I’m not, this book is just basic spells that tie with nature, I just asked the tree to let us stay for the evening, it returns to normal midday tomorrow.
“I see” Lucca said and walked inside the tree.
Andrastos spoke another small enchanting spell and lights lit the small room. He then took his finger and slid it along his other hand, the lights dimmed and became brighter whether or not he slid his finger up or down. Lucca grinned and sat near his new friend, pulling some sleeping requirements from his pack.
“This book actually is my greatest ally in avoiding people like that Venator, it has helped me through many attacks” he says and places it back in his bag.
Lucca rested his head against the oak and then looked outside at the rain lightly filling him with serene feelings, his legs were tired of the walk through the forest and now in the soft light and rain he was content.

Rain… Rain… Rain.

“When next it rains…”

Lucca’s eyes shot open.

He thought it was his imagination but Andrastos was looking at the small hole they entered from with a fear he had never seen on his face before. They both trembled at the sound of the rain.
“You…” Lucca started
“Heard it too?” Andrastos finished, he suddenly dug back into his pack and found the book. Lucca stood as Andrastos dimmed the lights to complete darkness, his red eyes focused on the doorway.
There was a soft sound, almost like a heavy breathing, followed by a dim thud… almost like damp leaves on soil. The thuds were close together while the breathing became all the louder, Lucca felt his flesh crawl and he knew who it was that searched him out in the rain and the dark.
Andrastos spoke another small chant and a purple light surrounded the room and enveloped the entire wooden carving where the pair sat in fear.
“That should keep all things that wish us harm outside of the tree” he said and put down the book. They both stared into the forest, watching each droplet fall from sky and blur their vision as to what lay beyond the first few trees.
Then a voice, quietly calling out, like a whisper garbled by the rain as though whoever spoke was speaking with a mouth full of water.
“Lucca…” it called and sent shivers up the prince’s back and mind.

“It fell on the leaf, above high in the tree
small soft wet and full of warm glee
that it had at last felt the touch of mother earth
and reached out pale fingers to grab thee with curse
again I walk and see and feel
and all who look upon the ocean shall seal
their fate in my teeth, their blood on my tongue
and know in their hearts, the fear that they shun
know this they must
the name Aternius…”

he said.

The thuds were on the tree itself, he walked vertically down the tree and stepped onto the earth, that aqua hair soaked in water and his white robes with many markings also clinging to what may or may not be flesh.
He peered into the tree as a formality knowing the prince watched in horror at the sorcerer at the door. He smiled his fearsome smile and dragged his finger on the barrier that held him from entering, those black sharp nails that once shot ice in spears gliding on the purple.
“I’ve come as I said… and no one to greet me, sad… most sad, like the tears from above. Come forward my friend, it has only been a short while but felt like an eternity” he said gliding his finger around and around.
Lucca almost stepped forward in anger but fear stopped him and Andrastos looked at the prince in fearful question.
“Who is this man” he whispered
“I am the nightmare of the young child, so afraid he forgets my face, but were I to come again he would die in fear” Aternius says, “I am the blade that pierces a man’s flesh, only the one that allows one to die slowly terrified of death until the final breath”
“A true demon” Lucca tells him. And Aternius gasps in pleasure and smiles widely placing both hands on the barrier.
“Is that him? My dear boy who so valiantly tried to destroy me, he only made me stronger though a pity for you” he speaks so very oddly cocking his head this way and that, taking in all his new found power with each breath Andrastos and the prince can hear deep in their ears.
Lucca steps forward and confronts the sorcerer, he places his hands on the barrier where Aternius’s hands are on the other side and he smiles.
“How was life as a scrap of dirt?” the prince asks mockingly
“Much like that of an over-privileged Prince, slightly better in my opinion, at least I couldn’t run away from my worries” the magician says staring deep into his eyes, “I forgot your beauty child, but I’m not here to kill you… yet” he says.
“Try as you might… how did you know I was a prince?” Lucca adds.
“I could tell from your mannerisms, when one has lived as long as I have you can tell these things, I just came to thank you my power has grown since last we met, I shall thank that lizard as well”
“If you touch him” Lucca speaks sternly.
“You’ll what? Run away again? You cannot defeat me now boy, water is simply a minute dose of the vial of my power”
“What wickedness do you have now?”

“I control the winds, I have all the elements at my fingertips… my shape is mine to decide, my feet are not bound to the earth and much more is yet to come”
“What are you planning?”
“Since you have allowed me to regain my power I shall spare your life, and seek another one of noble blood to slay and off I go until my powers have fully returned and… then I shall kill you”
“I’ll wait for you” Lucca says looking at the ocean eyes, his face is resolute though his knees shake in fear.
“To disappoint is not your way, tell your friend he is not forgotten either… one way or another this world will be mine, until then” he says and he vanishes into steam and floats away.
Lucca falls to his knees and Andrastos is beside him quickly,
“Who was that man?”
“Just an evil spirit, one that will meet his end, one day”
“I only felt death about him, I hope to never see him again”
“I as well” Lucca says his face wrenched in pain and he feels the wound where Aternius stabbed him with ice, the ice of his eyes.

The air was becoming thick with each step, the trees were less brighter after each bend. The land was falling into shadows an calm, some silences were not easy to bear. The young prince and Andrastos had become close friends in this time, talking of one another’s adventures and trials and reasons for fleeing their different lands.
Andrastos it appeared came from a land deep south of Thosaea a land called Demrenon, where oddly enough everyone had hair of fair white and faces of purity. The people were fighters though, not warriors but a class that would simply live for the art of fighting. Their blades were well known in all directions but alas not enough had encountered them past the borders Lucca was taught in his tutoring school.
The young boy had been though much in his young life, having seen his father slain before him in what was supposed to be a simple duel. His father was given the title “Whisper” a great honor among the fighters of Demrenon, to say the least he was the greatest swordsman in the land. And his son was following suit. When one day during an exercise a man challenged the Whisper to a duel, and as always it was accepted.
Andrastos’s father, Anthemeros had been dueling in the match when he was out-matched by this challenger clad in black armor. Andrastos attempted to honor his father by picking up his sword and attacking the black-clad man but he was disarmed and spared. The man in black declared himself as a Shadow and told the young tear-faced boy that if he truly wished to make his father proud it would be to become greater then a Whisper.
Andrastos watched the man disappear and swore to avenge his father and become one of the man he so despised. Ensifer was the name of the Shadow, and now revenge fuelled his movements and to prove that the Whisper’s were still the greatest swordsmen in the known world.
His mother died from grief he said, her ghost still waits for his return at the door to his old house, he also spoke of a sister that he had never seen but was a few years older. He was ardent with assuredness that they had surely forgot him by now, he was so much like the prince he was lost in his words of the past. Perhaps because of Lucca’s bond with his kingdom still and the hate for those who wished his future to be out of his hands, he always knew they would be waiting for him for all time.