Shadow Stalker Part 1 (Episodes 1 - 6): Shadow Stalker, #1

Prologue

Five-year-old, Auren Trask, lay in her bed with her blankets over her head. The shadows were back. They seemed to be coming every night now. If she would just fall asleep maybe they would go away. She wanted to yell for her foster father, Kado, but he would probably tell her she was dreaming and to go back to bed. He was always saying dreams wouldn't hurt her, and she should never be afraid of them. This wasn't a dream, though.

Auren, one of the shadows whispered.

It was close. She whimpered, putting her hands over her ears to block the eerie sound of its voice. They had never spoken to her before. Sometimes they would whisper to each other, but usually they would just drift around her room and then disappear.

Auren.

Attempting to hinder the sound didn't work. It was as if the voice was coming from inside her head. Maybe it was her imagination.

Auren.

This time it was not a whisper, and Auren was no longer in her bed. She was in a dark place where the only light was a green mist floating all around her as far as she could see. The shadows surrounded her. She screamed and tried to run away, but even though her legs were moving, she remained in the same place. Then she heard a roar and saw a large shadow coming toward her that looked more like a large animal than a human. Auren cried out and attempted to escape the charge, but she couldn't get away.

Kado, she shrieked.

Before the big creature could reach her, Kado appeared and lifted her into his arms. Like magic, she was back in her room. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed. When she calmed down, he laid her in her bed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Kado didn't say anything about what had happened or offer any comforting words. He never did. Instead he gazed out the window towards the larger of the two moons. Gauwai is full tonight.

Yes. Auren's voice croaked a bit when she spoke. What were those things in my room?

Kado pulled the chair from against the wall and placed it next to her bed. After sitting, he pointed to the moons. Did you know Gauwai and Gauwin were once shadow stalkers?

Shadow stalkers aren't real, Kado.

Kado chuckled, though Auren thought it sounded sad. Perhaps.

The young girl wanted to understand what happened to her that night, but it was possible he didn't know. Well, a story would be better than nothing, and at least she wasn't alone. If they were shadow stalkers, how did they become moons?

Kado gazed at Auren. It's not a happy tale. It's about two brothers, twin brothers, who abused their powers to gain the favor of their leader. They each believed they were more powerful than the other and sought recognition for their power.

What did they do? Auren sat up in her bed, her earlier experience forgotten for the moment.

Lie down, and I will tell you.

She did as she was told, and waited for him to continue.

They would play tricks that would get the other in trouble. One day one of Gauwin's pranks went terribly wrong and Gauwai was killed. The leader of the shadow stalkers decided to make an example of them both. He turned them to dust, and then he blew the dust into the heavens. The dust formed the two moons that illuminate our sky at night. Now they orbit each other, neither more important than the other, but both serving mankind for eternity.

Auren scrutinized the moons, trying to decide how much of the story she wanted to believe. It could have been just another one of Kado's lessons rather than a true account. How are they serving mankind?

The moons give us light to see by on dark nights, and they create shadows for us to hide in when we need to remain unseen. Their legend reminds us no matter how powerful we are, or think we are, we are no more or less important than any other person.

Auren considered this for a moment. That is kind of a sad story, but it's kind of happy too.

Kado raised an eyebrow as he studied his young charge. In what way is it happy?

They never have to die, and they bring light to the whole world. I wish... Auren wanted to say she wished her mother and father had never died, and she could be with them, but she didn't want to hurt Kado. She loved him, but she longed to be with her family.

Kado watched her for a moment. You should sleep.

Auren felt sleepy all of a sudden, so she closed her eyes. Her fears and sorrows melted away as if by magic, and she knew she was safe.

Chapter 1

Reality is an illusion we create to convince ourselves nothing will ever change. I have learned change happens regardless of the reality we create. Sometimes it’s so subtle we don’t notice it, but other times it’s so dramatic it alters our lives in a very profound way. One thing is for sure, once it sets into motion, we can’t stop it.

For me, it began with a camping trip. My friends and I had been planning it since the month before our graduation. This trip was to be our first autonomous venture into the world as fledgling adults. After spending my entire childhood in a proverbial cage, I longed for freedom. Well, okay, my life wasn't that bad. My foster father, Kado, just kept me busy doing things I believed to be unimportant, like studying maps of the islands and learning combat fighting. I didn't have time for much of a social life. It was important to him, though, so I tried not to complain—too much.

The fact that I was eighteen wasn't enough to warrant independence in Kado’s opinion. He felt I still had a lot more to learn before I could call myself an adult. It was doubtful he would believe I'd be responsible enough to travel to another island on my own, even for a few days. I had been trying to think of a way to convince him all that week to let me go on this camping trip, but I couldn't come up with anything. Worse, his mood had been gradually declining throughout the week, which decreased my chances for a positive outcome. I was out of time, though. My friends were leaving early the following morning, so I was lying on my bed, committing my spiel to memory.

Auren, come down here, please.

Ready or not, this was it. Coming.

I found him where he spent most of his spare time, sitting in the study reading in his favorite chair. Piles of books lined the walls making the room appear smaller than it was. There was only enough room for a couple of armchairs and a small table for furniture. How he managed such organization amongst this clutter was beyond me. I wasn’t even able to keep my room tidy, and I didn’t have nearly as much stuff as he did. Despite his ability for order and cleanliness, the room still reeked of that musty old book smell. Not even air freshener had any hope of defeating that odor; trust me, I'd tried.

I strode into the room and sat in the chair across from him. Gazing at him, it was easy to see how he could pass for my father even though we were unrelated. We both had the same dark hair, green eyes and olive skin that made us look like we belonged in a much warmer climate. The only real difference was his face was long and angular, while mine was small and round. It made my head seem disproportionate to the rest of my body, but when Kado told me I looked like my mom, it eased my self-consciousness. I loved gazing into the mirror and pretending it was my mother looking back at me.

Have you finished packing? Kado asked without looking up from his book.

Uh...yeah.

Kado lowered the book, and his eyes bore into mine. That could have sounded more confident. I had packed, but it was for the camping trip with my friends, and not for wherever Kado was planning to take me. We typically went camping every summer, though I had the impression it wasn't the plan for this trip when he told me to bring anything that had value to me. Part of me wondered if he was intending on coming back.

Kado, my friends and I planned a camping trip to celebrate our graduation, and I'd really like to go.

His eyes narrowed. Where?

Somehow my request didn't seem to surprise him, so I felt my first spark of hope. Luten Isle.

Absolutely not.

Why? I asked, my hope fading.

Auren, I have told you we are leaving Appolia in the morning.

Appolia was the largest island in the north, and capital of the Coalition. It also happened to be the coldest place on the planet. Why Kado had chosen to live there I would never understand.

Can't we leave next week, so I can at least spend time with my friends?

No, he said, and went back to his book. His subtle dismissal was his way of telling me the conversation was over, but he seemed to be considering letting me go for a moment. His final decision had nothing to do with the trip he had planned.

What's wrong with Luten Isle? I asked, hoping I wasn't pushing my luck too far. I was always told that ‘no’ was not an invitation for further argument, and making him angry would be counterproductive to my cause.

Kado set his book down on the small table between the two chairs, then sat forward with his forearms resting on his knees. You know very well it's too close to the Galvadi border.

So? You took me there last year. What difference does it make?

The difference is, I won't be there.

I would have told him to come with us, but that would have defeated the whole purpose of the trip, which was to get away from parental figures. I didn't think my friends, Deakan and Jade, would want him along anyway. Kado intimidated them. Then again, he intimidated most people. It could have been his size. He dwarfed most tall men, and while sitting he was taller than I was when standing. Although, it could have also been the fact that he always appeared to be in a bad mood.

Why don't you trust me? I asked under my breath.

Kado sighed and rubbed his forehead as though soothing a headache. It's not a matter of trust, Auren.

What then?

It's not safe for you there.

I'm not helpless, I said, groaning. He had been training me for as long as I could remember to protect myself, so it seemed to me a pretty lame excuse.

I know you're not, but it's my duty to protect you, and I can't do that if you're over a hundred kilometers away.

There was something going on he wasn’t telling me. Granted, he was normally overprotective, but something else was motivating his decision. I wished he would just tell me what it was. What do you need to protect me from?

You'll understand soon enough, Kado said. Go pack.

I started to say something else, but my mind abruptly went blank, and I lost interest in the conversation. Jade would be waiting for my call anyway. I rang her from my bedroom.

He said no, didn't he? Jade asked after hearing my voice.

I snorted. How'd you guess?

How brave are you feeling at the moment?

I narrowed my eyes even though she couldn't see me. She was scheming, which meant I would, no doubt, end up in trouble. Why?

Can Kado hear you?

Most likely.

Okay, well that explains your short answers. What if we were to come and get you tonight? Do you think you could sneak out?

I took a moment before answering, so I would be able to focus on keeping the excitement out of my voice. It's possible.

After midnight?

Sure. Kado was almost always asleep by then, so that might work.

Okay, see ya then.

Have fun on the camping trip, I said, sounding as forlorn as possible just in case Kado was listening.

Jade giggled as she disconnected on her end. All I had to do now was to come up with a way to sneak out. He would hear me if I tried to go through the house. I could move like a ghost under ideal conditions, but nothing would stop the creaking and groaning of the old floorboards. Although, thanks to Kado's training, leaving through the second story window in my bedroom shouldn't be too difficult. Finally, it was proving useful for something.

That night I laid awake in bed waiting for Kado to go to sleep. I left the window open, even though it was a chilly night, so I wouldn't have to risk having it squeak and wake Kado. The clock ticking in the hallway was a constant reminder of the passing of time. I was afraid he might stay up the entire night, until I heard his light padding as he came up the stairs. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep in case he checked on me. His footsteps stopped outside my door. At first, he did nothing, so I thought he would head to bed, but then the door opened. The light that spilled into my room gleamed through my eyelids, tempting me to open them to see what he was doing. Then a floorboard creaked near my bed, reminding me I was supposed to be fooling him into believing I was asleep.

I struggled to keep my breathing even. The shadow hovering over me and blocking the light coming in from the hallway made me suspect Kado stood right next to me. The musky scent of his aftershave confirmed that fact. I flinched when his hand rested on my shoulder. I wasn't expecting the touch.

Nice try, Auren.

I opened my eyes and tried to respond, but my voice wouldn't work. I expected Kado to be angry, but he looked amused. After a moment, his face faded and everything went dark. It seemed like seconds had passed when I heard something hitting my window. I forced my eyes open, but I was so groggy it took me a moment to be able to keep them from closing again. Where was Kado? My room was dark, and the house was quiet. He must have gone to bed, but I didn't remember him leaving.

I heard another clink from the window. I sat up, ignoring the chill as I walked over to see what was making the noise. Kado must have closed it, but he was already aware I was up to something, so I would need to be extremely quiet. I inched the window open as slowly as possible, and miraculously succeeded in not making a sound. Sighing in relief, I poked my head outside just in time to have something hard hit my forehead.

Ow, damn it. Watch it! I cursed wordlessly at my slip up, and listened to make sure I didn't wake Kado. The house remained silent, so I tossed my backpack out the window into Deakan's waiting arms. I grabbed a hair band off my dresser, so I could tie it back and keep it out of my face. The wind rocked the branch of the tree outside my window, but I watched the pattern of its movement. When I was sure I could make the jump without missing the limb, I climbed onto the window ledge and leaped. My feet landed on the branch, and I managed to keep my balance despite the bouncing. Jade let out a squeak. I would have rolled my eyes if I wasn't trying to focus on getting to the ground in one piece. When it stopped shaking, I checked to see if anyone was below me and began my final swing toward the ground.

Deakan held up a hand in warning. Wait, there's a—

It was too late. I had already let go of the branch. I braced for impact against the hard ground, but instead the ground gave way and my feet sank as though I had landed in quicksand.

Mud puddle, Deakan said.

My shoes made a sloshing sound as I stepped out of the slick and onto the hard cement. I sniffed. Are you sure that's mud?

Deakan snickered. It's a good thing you're not a girly-girl.

I punched him in the gut. I didn't think I hit him that hard, but he wrapped his arms around his middle and hunched over, taking a couple of deep breaths.

Oops, sorry. I covered my mouth with a hand to hide the smirk.

So violent! Deakan swung my backpack toward my head, but I caught it before it made contact. Regrettably, I didn't anticipate the momentum of the strap and it smacked my face.

Jade giggled.

Shh, I said as I pointed toward Kado's window.

Right, sorry.

I followed Deakan and Jade as they led the way to his father’s hydrocar. Deakan was tall, but nowhere near as tall as Kado. Still, he quite often used my head for an armrest. Jade looked like a midget next to him, but they had matching blond hair and pale skin. They looked like typical Appolians. He had parked his vehicle down the road in the shadow between the street lamps. It was a good thing, too, because he demanded I change out of my muddy clothing first, and I didn’t need a spotlight for that show.

I pulled out a clean set of track pants before throwing my backpack in the trunk. My shirt was free of mud, so at least I'd be spared having to expose my top half. I didn't have another pair of shoes with me, so I'd have to go barefoot for a while. Deakan stood on the opposite side of the hydrocar facing away from us, while I stood between the opened front and rear doors. Jade held her sleeping bag over the gap, but even with the cover, dressing on the side of the road would be awkward. My only other option was to risk going back into the house, but I didn't want to press my luck. It was a miracle I had made it out of the house without Kado knowing.

Before I took off my pants, I looked up and down the road. The houses were dark, so I hoped it was safe to assume the neighbors were all sleeping. I could imagine the look on Kado's face if he heard from one of them I had exposed myself in public. I sat on the back seat of the hydrocar and removed the muddy shoes, socks and pants, placing them in the laundry bag I brought with me. Goosebumps formed on my legs before I had the chance to cover them with my clean ones, and I was already shivering.

It may have been early summer, but the nights were still cold this far north. In fact, there was still patches of snow on the ground where the larger mounds hadn't quite melted, yet. We were lucky to even have summers. North of us, in the higher elevations, the snow covered the ground all year. That was one of the reasons my friends and I had decided to go to Luten Isle. It was as far south as we could go without crossing the border into the Galvadi Empire, the enemy of the Coalition for all intents and purposes. Luten Isle might still be a bit cool this time of year in the evenings, but at least it was warmer than Appolia, and during the day it might even be warm enough to swim.

I threw my laundry bag into the trunk with my backpack, and then climbed into the back seat of the hydrocar. Deakan and Jade sat up front, which didn't bother me. I'd have plenty of room for stretching out. It was the most comfortable vehicle I had ever been in. A soft leather, with cushions so supple it was like floating on a cloud, covered the seats. I leaned toward the front to ogle the controls on the dashboard, which lit up more brightly than a star filled sky. The outside of the hydrocar was typical, with its boat meets car look, except it had no wheels. The newer models didn’t need them because they employed a new technology that used the planets magnetic field to make the vehicles seem to just float in the air. It was like trying to push two magnets with the same polarization toward each other.

How did you talk your dad into letting you take this? I asked in wonder. His dad coveted his possessions, and I never imagined he’d let Deakan drive his hydrocar, much less leave Appolia with it.

I promised to go to the Appolian Institute of Science and Technology. He wants me to go to officer school like my older brother instead of enlisting in the army. Something about there being more prestige as an officer.

Wow, you? An officer? What happened to being a big time killing machine?

I can still be a killing machine.

Science and technology, Jade pointed out.

Yeah, you'll probably end up in a lab somewhere.

Deakan tapped a few buttons on a control panel on the steering column and the hydrocar started gliding down the road. It even had auto drive. I was instantly jealous. Why couldn’t Kado buy something like this? His hydrocar was ancient, although in this case it might work in our favor. It had wheels, and he had to switch from land to water mode manually, which made the process of entering and leaving the water much slower. Even if he did follow us, he'd have a hard time keeping up once we left the island.

Deakan turned in his seat so he was facing both Jade and me. Whatever. Officers have combat training too. So, what took you so long, Auren?

How long were you waiting for me?

About two hours, Jade said.

Seriously, guys?

They nodded.

Damn, I'm sorry. Kado came into the room, and he knew I was up to something. I must have fallen asleep while waiting for him to leave.

When's he gonna give you a break? Even my dad thinks he's overbearing, and that's saying something, Deakan said.

Why don't you just run away from home and start a new life somewhere else? Jade suggested.

I shrugged. It’s complicated.

What’s so complicated? Deakan asked.

I pulled a lock of my dark hair into my mouth and started chewing. Part of me longed for that kind of freedom, but it felt wrong. Despite Kado's emotional distance and lack of affection, I knew he cared about me. If he didn't, he wouldn't have heeded my father's dying wish to raise me, and he wouldn't be taking the time to teach me all he knows. Kado never told me how my father died, but I was aware that he had given his life so I could live. If I ran away I would be tarnishing my father's memory, and betraying the man who has dedicated himself to raising another man's child. I couldn't bring myself to do that, but I didn’t know how to explain my feelings to my friends.

Chapter 2

It was a two-hour trip to Luten Isle, but we stopped for the rest of the night after leaving Appolia. We stayed in a small Inn where I had access to a washing machine to clean my muddy clothing. It was a relief to have shoes on my feet again. Even with the heat on, they were cold. I had time for just a few hours of sleep before we had to head out again. Kado would be awake by dawn and notice I was missing. He would know where I had gone, and I wasn't sure whether he would come after me or not, so the sooner we left the better.

It had been a little windy, which slowed us down while traveling over the ocean. The sea roads kept detouring to give us the safest route, but it took us out of our way. We could almost see the ramp we wanted to take to Luten Isle, when the light flashed red, signaling another detour. For a moment, I thought Deakan would ignore it and plow ahead anyway. I pointed out the windscreen toward the shallower water ahead. It's a sandbar.

Yeah, I see it. He turned hard to the left, causing me to slide across the seat, and followed the green lights marking the new sea road.

Shouldn't you be wearing your harness? Jade asked, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes.

Seriously, Deakan said. If I bring you back even a tad bruised, Kado might consider killing me.

He's not that bad guys. Besides, shouldn't you be more worried I might put my head through your father's precious window?

Good point. My dad would definitely kill me.

The detour added another twenty minutes to our trip, but we finally made it to Luten Isle just before midday. We decided to stick to the northern part of the island even though it would likely be warmer further south. In truth, driving was getting old and going through the mountain passes in a vehicle, with all those twists and turns, was the exact opposite of fun. We left the hydrocar near the beach, and I led the trek to our camping spot. I wanted to take them to a place near Lake Duracer. Kado had taken me there the summer before, and I knew they'd love it.

It was just a five-kilometer hike, but because we were heading into the foothills just east of the mountains, it took us a little over an hour and a half to get there. Walking uphill tended to slow things quite a bit. Our destination was the tallest hill overlooking Lake Duracer, a river fed lake that took up most of the valley, the rest of which was grasslands and forests at the base of the mountains. I could almost make out the white dots that were homes in a village on the eastern side of the lake, about ten kilometers away.

Deakan dug a pit for the campfire while Jade and I collected wood from under the nearby trees. We didn't need a