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    © 2004 Jonathan Phillips
Denten leader: "none shall leave my shadow and live, so now my shadows will seek my enemies." "System check: MUG, give me the green light." M.U.G: "No can do X, we are being tracked" Xenon: "Tracked by what exactly?" M.U.G: "It would seem to be a vessel of some kind, rather small though" Xenon: "MUG if this is another joke ima show you what the meaning of scrap metal is." M.U.G: "No joke this time, sensors show it is maneuvering in our direction at great speed, I have already tried to dodge its course while you were sleeping." Xenon: "Great, this is all I need." M.U.G: "Receiving message: "The last xeno is mine." end of message; location verified as the craft following us." Xenon: "Land now..." Flames of a pod entering a new sky. A warrior stands in the fog upon a hill. The fog slowly rips around him. A sword hangs from his hand. His eyes stare at a void in the ground. The only sound that can be heard is the clank of his armor, like a slow heartbeat getting forever slower. A tear rolls off his cheek and escapes beneath the fog. How lucky, this tear that does not have to face evil. The warrior looks over at the rising sun that casts aside the fog. A wind brews in the east. An evil is near: it can be felt in the air. The air is crisp and fear grows from within. A bit of snow lies on the ground from several days ago. The wind blows the nearby trees, their branches scratching each other as if to warn of the oncoming threat. Stillness clouds the air as time seems to slow. The warrior stands still staring at the ground. In the distance upon a mountain top covered in snow a darkness grows. It pours over the mountain, covering the few rays of light from the sun. The warrior grips his sword a little tighter. The darkness can be heard as it tears through the trees, breaking limbs, like a flood it comes to devour. It is fueled by a rage, a hate, an anger for all things. This hate is born of the hate of itself, and it blames all others. The warrior's jet black armor begins to move like liquid flame. The armor grows red as the darkness comes closer. The warrior's heartbeat grows faster and faster, his breath can be seen in the air. The darkness rolls over hills as the warrior holds his ground. It claws at the land trying to move faster. It is but a few hills away. It holds no form, unlike any normal creature. Light does not reflect off any part of it. It's only but a hill away now, but the warrior does not show that he notices. It rolls over the hill like a towering beast, covering the sky, blocking the sun from the warrior's eyes. Its arms move to surround him, but the warrior's head suddenly turns to the beast. He runs partway down the hill, charging it fearlessly, then leaps toward it with his sword raised over his head. He cuts straight down the middle, cleaving it almost in two. There is no blood, no anything, just darkness cut from darkness. He hops back in defense. The creature's liquid body bends and twists in pain, but its wound quickly heals. Its arms wrap around the warrior, surrounding him. He looks to his left, cuts off the arm that reaches for him and runs through |
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