Elegy: Lost Shadow

To bring order and peace to society is what I strive for. I want a world where my family can truly know peace. A place I can raise my children without living in fear.

 A place where a tragedy similar to the one that happened nine years ago can never happen. For all that to happen, I must defeat as many criminals as possible.

 Asher Bayakwisa, member of the Conflagraflaria Kingdom's Castle security team, had just finished yet another shift. His working hours were being reduced because of his upcoming promotion. He often left work at 4.00PM. He gladly accepted the promotion though he would be required to work more hours. Mainly because of the higher pay but there was also another reason. That was the fact that his new position had fewer working days. About two a week which meant that he would get to spend more time with his family.

 His wife, Amber, would soon be conceiving a child as she was at the very end of her pregnancy. The two had gotten married roughly two years ago and this would be their first child.

 Amber was seated outside their house soaking up the sunset when he returned. "You came back home early again today."

 "Of course_ Apparently, I will be a prompter soon," he replied as he leaned in for a kiss. A light peck on her forehead. "So is Roul still around? I told him to stay home today and not go studying. I get the fact that he joined the Ent Magic Academy knight force candidacy. But, that doesn't mean he should abandon his duties."

 "Don't worry, I was the one who told him to go. He was working too hard again today. He finished all the chores surprisingly fast, even did the cooking and everything. Just let him prepare adequately for the incoming knight's trial. After all, he was only exempt from taking part in the first stage."

 "If you say so then," he replied as he went to have a little rest indoors. Two days went by and it was finally the day of his promotion. He, as well as other officers, was summoned to the chief of security's office. There, they were given orders with regards to their promotion as well as requirements before confirmed inauguration. In the hall, a total of a hundred officers were summoned.

 In order for their promotions to become valid, they each had to function as prompters for the first stage of the knight trial. The directive was, "Test for potential….not ability. Work for a balance if the situation allows."

 Though most knight trial candidates were obtained from the Ent Magic Academy, a select few were obtained from individuals who had no connection to the Academy at the time of the exam's commencement.

 These candidates were required to prove themselves by completing the first stage of the trial, for which they had no idea they were taking.

 A total of a hundred officers were split into five teams and each given an area to scout. A team was assigned to scout Varaline Centralis and other teams in the other four massive towns located north, east, south and west of Varaline Centralis.

 Asher's team was sent to scout Varaline Southalis and the villages that surrounded it. When I arrived, I took interest in the village of Ganase because of a rumored talent in the area. One who was said to have moved there after he left the knight force.. A former member of the Assault and Defense team of the Kingdom's knight force. I was hoping he had a student there. That way, my pre-inauguration task would be completed and I would return in time to see my wife give birth to my child.

 Asher arrived in Ganase and quickly began his search. It didn't help that he had no idea of how this man looked like but now he had to find someone who could have been his student. He stayed in town for three days as he looked around.

 As he was walking, he saw a girl in the main market of Ganase. The calm feeling in her spiritual vibrations intrigued him and so did her red tipped hair. She had just exited Fortune's Vitus. She seemed promising and so he decided he would test her. If she did prove capable, he would be able to go home. After all, he did spend too much time in the village as it was and his wife's labor day drew that much closer.

 He followed her as she headed into Redstar Forest. She appeared calm as she walked through the most dangerous place in the whole kingdom. Which only grew to cement his interest. She would surely prove to be a valuable candidate. At that moment, he decided_ it would be her.

 He touched the ground as he sent a stream of flames running along it until it encircled the both of them. She looked behind her only to see a man dressed in black walking towards her. His eyes glowing red as he was emanating a red aura.

 "If you could do me the honor, might I know what your name is." He asked.

"Calida," she replied as turned to face him, "What's this about?"

He stopped walking as he aid, "It's nothing personal, miss. I am just here to kill you."

 She sighed, "Is that why you have trapped me in flames," she then smiled, "I really don't want to kill you so please let me leave."

 "I am sorry_ but I can't…..you have to die here or, you kill me instead." As soon as he said those words, he shot ten flaming arrows from his aura. All ten of them ran straight through Calida. She experienced no physical wound but she could still feel the burning.

 She fell down. As She was seated, she thought, Non physical magic, huh. Are you planning to corrupt my nodes to trigger death.

  She stood back up as her right hand began releasing a red aura. Ten more arrows were shot at her. Her aura solidified in her palm and formed a red, transparent rod. She used it to deflect the arrows.

 "Crystalis? ... .so you already know Crystalis. You are really not making my job easy," he said as he thought. Does that mean she might be that former knight force member's student? The red glow in his eyes became more prominent as he touched the ground. The flames that encircled them scattered.

 He got back to his feet as he recalled the order he was given, "Test for potential….not ability." To do that, I have to force her into a situation where she feels her life slipping.

 Still though….she already knows Crystalis. Shouldn't this be proof enough?

  He doubled the number of arrows he released from his aura. The aura that coated her hand, scattered and covered the rest of her body as she began deflecting the incoming arrows. She parried the arrows before she was forced to block a kick from him. His kick met her Crystalis rod as a clash of their magic began. She parried his kick away as she jumped back.

 As soon as she landed, she was shot by another arrow. She parried it using her Crystalis rod before she was forced to block a Crystalis rod of his creation. His rod clashed against hers as they once more engaged in a clash of magic.

 Let's see how she fares against this. He thought as his rod began releasing flames. He was attempting to overpower her. She parried it, using his own force against him before she jumped back.

 His aura began solidifying, forming red transparent arrows. Flame art: Crystalis arrows. He shot ten arrows at her.

 Calida sighed as her Crystalis rod became coated in flames. She then dashed towards him, slicing through all the arrows he shot at her. She went directly for a horizontal swing hoping to end it. The rod clashed against his rod. She cut his clean in half forcing him to take a step back to avoid the blow. It was aimed for his ribs originally. There's no way, that was Soulis just now ... .she already knows forbidden magic.

 When he realized it, it was too late. She placed her hand against his chest. "Now, Flame art: Alpha Eon." As soon as she said that, a stream of flames scorched his whole body. He raised his hand, swinging his halved Crystalis rod in an attempt to force her back. He was able to cut open her forehead. The cut ran right under her hairline.

 As he was falling, he thought, she used Alpha Eon which is an art under physical magic so that she could only harm my body. She was trying to only knock me out by only dealing physical damage.

 Blood began washing down her face as she started walking away. He struggled to remain conscious as he reached for under his top. He grabbed the golden necklace. He took it off and held out his hand. "Calida! This is for you…... You have…completed …the first trial." He said. He was hyperventilating as he could barely voice out an entire statement in a single breath. He was looking toward her.

 She turned back to look at him. When he looked at her face, he saw the blood that was washing down it. What he saw shocked him greatly. Someone with such a striking resemblance to someone in his past. Someone whose face was enough to make his blood boil. As he gazed at her, he thought. There's no way. He clenched his fists. "There is no way. It's you!" Red glowing eyes….blood washing down her face. Hair tipped crimson. And a cold chilly presence. You are looking down on me again. "You were there!" He exclaimed. "You were responsible for that tragedy nine years ago."

 "Tragedy," she paused as she gave it some thought, "…..oh…you mean the one in Lota." She said as her rod disappeared, "Wait, you were there."

"Of course I was there ... .I was a member of the town's defense team when it all happened! That was why I got transferred. " he said, forcing himself back to his feet. First to a single knee as he struggled to catch his breath. "I will…. kill you. A criminal like you!"

 As soon as he got back to his feet, he dashed towards her. Her aura began solidifying in her palm as it formed her Crystalis rod. It clashed with his fist. His hand was imbued in fire as his magic clashed against hers. Her rod began cracking as his flames grew more intense.

 From the rest of his aura, flame arrows formed and Assaulted her repeatedly. They all burnt her. In her left hand, aura condensed and materialized another rod. She used it to parry the incoming arrows. The rod in her right hand finally broke as she received a punch to her chest. This forced her to crash into the ground.

 He opened the hand he had just delivered a punch with and on it, was the necklace. He put it back on and said, "For this Kingdom…..I will eliminate you."

 She got back to her feet, feeling the ache from his volley. She could feel the burns all around it. A hot scorching sensation. She wiped part of the blood that covered her face as more came rushing down. She was trying to clear her eyes which were stinging from it. "So_ you were one of them."

 Hardly had she begun walking toward him when he shot a volley of arrows at her. She continued walking as she saw them approaching. When the arrows got close to her, they began glitching out of existence and materializing beside her. They then continued with their path. A straight line right past her.

 As she was walking, she saw the flames attempting to encircle them again. Her eyes rolled as she watched them spread. When she looked ahead again, she noticed that he had already bridged the gap in distance.

 His fast, she thought, not looking particularly impressed. He opened his right hand and exclaimed, "Flame art: Beta Eon." The stream of flames consumed her but she never stopped walking. She felt them scorch every ounce of her. But she continued walking regardless. He opened his left hand as he placed it beside his right one. "Now, Flame art: Gamma Eon." He exclaimed as the flame he was releasing from his hand increased. The flames ran wild.

 From the stream of flames, hands emerged and grabbed his arms. Her head then emerged as her blood dripped onto the flames. There's no way, he thought as he felt his hand touch her chest. She walked straight through the flames. Just what is she?

  Her grip tightened as he no longer saw the flames. Dreamscape, she thought. He was falling deeper and deeper into the water. He then recalled a memory. A time when he was with Amber.

...

"I really love going to the river," you said to me as you grabbed my hand.

"Why," I asked as I stared into your eyes. Those amber eyes.

 You smiled as you replied, "Because whenever I come here, I am always with you," your answer was simple and you looked happy. Seeing you like that made me want to kiss you. So I did.

 "Look….that's a crocodile. It's going back into the water."

...

 He sank deeper into the water as he saw crocodiles surround him. They all rushed towards him and each sank their teeth into him. They pulled against him, ripping him apart. His blood was dyeing the water red as it left his body.

 He felt every bite, every tear of his flesh. It was enough to make him scream. Through all that time, he was conscious as he felt them ripe him to pieces. He then recalled further.

...

I said to you, "I love the river too. Because this is where you and I met."

...

 One of the crocodiles bit his head and crushed his skull. When he opened his eyes, he fell to the ground as Calida let him go. He tried to keep breathing as he could feel his heartbeat slowing down. Breathing became a problem as his pulse weakened.

 Calida fell to a single knee as her aura dissipated. She was hyperventilating. He grabbed her leg as he said, "I have to win," he coughed, "I made a promise…" he forced himself to take one more breath. "There is no other way," he halted before continuing, " The guardian of fire told me...to bring peace, cri-minals must be dealt with."

 Calida's eyes widened as she thought. He knew my father. "I am sure….he would be proud." He couldn't hear a word she said. His body grew cold as he coughed, "I want to see her…I _ want _to be there…..I want…to see my child." He said in decreasing audibility.

 Calida smiled as she began releasing a red aura. She patted his head and said, "Dream scape."

 ...

 I don't know how it happened but I made it to her. I made it to see Amber. I opened the door only to see her lying in her bed with our child in her arms.

 I could tell that she was so tired as well as sleepy but she just looked so happy. I kissed her on her forehead, as I always did before I took our child into my arms. I kissed his forehead too. She really did make me the happiest man by giving me such a simple life.

 ...

 He smiled as his eyes slowly closed. He finally died.

 Calida coughed as she struggled to get back to her feet. He really messed me up with that Gamma Eon. She thought as she stared at him. He looks at peace right now.

 She then noticed a red light being produced by the necklace. She fell unconscious to the ground.