Chapter 101 - Shadow

By the time everything was explained and Skyle’s name was cleared of all wrongdoing, food was one of the last things on his mind. He didn’t miss the knowing looks old Jameson sent this way, however. There was also a nervous quality to Nessa’s smile as she curtsied, and her steps seemed a little more hurried than before as she scurried away from the young master’s presence.

Skyle tried to set them all at ease, but came to realize that the harder he tried, the more uncomfortable everyone was getting. In the end, he surrendered and obediently headed back to his room. Only moments later, a red-faced Nessa came to leave a tray of different breads, cold meats, and cheeses.

He spotted Nessa standing by the door, her head lowered as she shuffled her feet.

“Thank you Nessa. That will be all.”

Nessa looked up in surprise, and seemed to hesitate for a moment.

Skyle smiled encouragingly at her, and nodded toward the door. “I’ll be sure to ring the bell next time I need something. It will take some getting used to, so you’ll have to put up with me.”

The young girl instantly bobbed her head while lifting her skirts in acknowledgement. “Please, we are here for anything you need, young master.”

Skyle nodded again, and Nessa finally fled out the door.

“Are all these academy nobles such perverts? I’m not even 13 yet!”

Shaking his head, Skyle tried to wash off the sour taste from his mouth with some of the spiced wine Helga had sent up with the food. Impatient as he was, he gorged himself on the food and quickly used the Infinite Eye to use the Maw of the Void.

To his pleasant surprise, as soon as he stimulated the technique, thin tendrils of shadow wrapped themselves around the mysterious energy within the food with effortless ease. This energy was slowly spreading through his body using the layer of shadow in his elemental veins. He gazed in awe as this mist grew denser, and a comfortable feeling spread around his limbs.

Using the 4th layer of the Infinite Eye, Skyle also carried out an exploration of his own body. He could feel that the tests had not strained him physically, and this relieved him. He knew he had an appointment with Uncle Talon tonight, and he had better be in the best shape of his life.

Opening his eyes, Skyle gazed out the window and gasped with a start. He didn’t realize the time had passed so swiftly. Already, the sun was sinking under the horizon and bathing everything under the dying light of day. He must have spent hours absorbing the energy and guiding it through his veins and throughout his body. Muscles rippled with energy, and he felt more alive than at the start of the day.

“Good, I have a feeling I’ll need every ounce of energy I can scrounge.”

Swiftly rifling through his belongings, Skyle took out a cloak of dark wool and draped it around his shoulders. He hesitated for a moment, before also strapping a small dagger to his belt. Then he crouched over the balcony and cast his True Sight to ensure no one was watching.

Satisfied, he vaulted over the ledge and landed upon the empty courtyard. He landed with hardly a sound and smoothly rolled to his feet, skidding over to take refuge under the shadows of a nearby wall.

Using the True Sight truly felt like cheating. Uncle Talon had given him a secret mission to sneak out of the Academy through a specific blind spot in its defenses. Skyle did not question him, as he doubted even a tier 2 academy’s defenses could foil an agent of Shadow. The test was whether Skyle could avoid detection while making his way to the outer wall.

Ordinarily, that would have been quite a challenge, even for an apt student of Kendric Farrow who used snowblade tigers for training partners. However, not only did Skyle possess superb tracking skills, he now had the True Sight as well.

He could easily make out the blazing auras of the powerful mages and students around him like bonfires in the growing gloom of dusk. He had used a much less developed version of it to sneak out of the Lyrian Army camp in Sanctuary. In comparison, the plush interiors of Aegis Academy felt like a stroll in the park.

In truth, Skyle could have easily made his way to the wall just by using his student badge. He doubted anyone would recognize him, as he was still relatively unknown. Still, this was to be a test and Skyle was determined to pass it with flying colors. This meant using every resource at his fingertips to its limits.

Mindful that it was not truly dark yet, Skyle was very careful to avoid open spaces and was able to use the True Sight to avoid people. It would have been far more challenging without it, but he was still confident he could have done it. Still, Skyle was done leaving anything to chance.

Life had dealt him some pretty heavy cards of late, and he was determined not to let it take him by surprise again. Especially not now that he was to take his first steps into a whole new world. Skyle suppressed a sour grimace as he recalled wanting to pull Leon out of his world of death and intrigue. Now, it would be Skyle himself who would be plunging into it headfirst.

Skyle was to begin his training as a Shadow this very night. While he felt conflicted about the fact that killing seemed an inevitable part of the role, he was also keenly interested in learning more about the mysterious organization.

After all, Shadow was only mentioned in hushed whispers with fearful glances over many a shoulder. It was said that while the Imperial Legions were the sword and shield that defended the realm, Shadow was the eyes and ears of the Emperor himself. No one knew who they were, or what they looked like under the ebony masks they wore while undertaking their missions. They only knew that every agent of Shadow was chosen for their razor sharp intellect and deadly skills. Shadow answered only to the Emperor himself, and could operate as both judge and executioner.

Such reputation had been the stuff of nightmares for young children like Skyle. After all, such grim tales were told by parents to intimidate their children into obedience. Of course, the fact that the Farrow children had known that Uncle Talon was a member of shadow took away that veil of fear. However, their interactions with the quiet man had only built an even thicker air of mystery around Shadow.

Uncle Talon was much like their parents, though not in personality. He wasn’t loud and boisterous like Skyle’s father, nor was he gentle like his mother. He was an intense man of few words, meaningful smiles, and glittering eyes. They all shared that palpable aura of mystery that hung over them so thickly that Skyle was often tempted to stretch out a hand and try lifting it in his burning curiosity.

“I wonder what Uncle Talon was like when he was young,” Skyle pondered as he clung to the ledge of a wall by his fingertips, his feet dangling over a forty feet drop as three students walked past below him. “Why did he decide to join Shadow, and did he ever regret such a choice?”

After waiting until the group was out of sight, he bunched up his knees below him and pushed off against the wall. He sailed through the air and caught himself against the branch of a nearby tree. Swinging his feet, he pulled himself up and scanned his surroundings. Nodding to himself, Skyle hopped from branch to branch until he was back down at ground level, then sped off through the shrubs without a pause. Only an instant later, another couple students rounded a nearby corner, chatting animatedly.

It was only five more minutes before Skyle finally reached the outer wall. He knew the exact spot because Uncle Talon had thoughtfully left him a guide who was waiting on the other side. Even without that, Skyle could see an odd ebb in the flow of the magic streaming across the academy’s wall. He didn’t have time to examine it in detail, but he could tell it had left a narrow opening in the magic of the academy’s defenses.

Skyle climbed through that narrow strip, his fingers finding minute cracks that were nearly invisible to the naked eye. Only a moment later, he had already crested the twenty foot wall and was descending on the other side.

As soon as he landed, Skyle was tackled to the ground.

“Ash, get off me, you dummy. We’re supposed to be sneaking our way out.”

The snowblade tiger pointedly added a few additional licks to Skyle’s face, before tossing his head around and scoffing.

“I know you think this is easy as pie, but don’t get careless.” Skyle eyed Ash’s snow-grey coat for a moment with a critical eye. “Maybe we should think about painting you black.”

Skyle could only chuckle helplessly as he was wrestled to the ground once again. He knew there was no one in the vicinity, and he was genuinely glad to see Ash. After all, he hadn’t yet introduced Ash as a magic beast companion, and that meant the guard would be alerted if he was spotted by anyone. Skyle’s own dark cloak wouldn’t put anyone at ease, either.

Skyle scratched Ash behind his ears with a grin. “Alright, enough play for now. You know where Uncle Talon’s waiting, right?”

Ash bobbed his head up and down, then padded off with a backward glance toward Skyle.

They moved through the deepening shadows of the town’s narrow streets with surprising ease. Most folks would abandon the streets after dark, and Sunny Meadow wasn’t rich enough to warrant a lot of lighting in public areas. In fact, as they entered the shanty district in the southern part of town where the poor gathered, only a few scattered fires glowed within a vast sea of darkness.

They easily avoided the town watch, as well as the more unsavory types that would come out at this hour to ply their trade. Ash was silent as a ghost as he flashed from shadow to shadow, and Skyle was surprised at how well his snow-grey coat served him to disguise himself in the dark. Thinking of how easy it would be for the snowblade tiger to sneak up on anyone under the guise of night, he was once again appreciative of the incredible night vision the Infinite Eye provided him. Without it or the True Sight, how would he be able to fight against such a foe? Would Skyle himself learn to become a warrior of the night as well?

Such musings were interrupted as they arrived at a dilapidated warehouse. It was a massive structure that rose up several stories off the ground. All the windows were tightly boarded up, obviously long abandoned by its former tenants.

Skyle scrunched up his nose as the thick scent of open sewage assaulted his nostrils as he neared the building. Ash’s steps didn’t falter as he found a cleverly hidden crack in the wall and squeezed through.

After crossing through to the other side, Skyle immediately threw himself forward. It was completely dark, but he could still make out the layout of the room with his night vision. Even without it, he had already seen Uncle Talon’s aura from the other side of the wall.

After rolling on the ground, Skyle came to his feet with his hands up in a guard position, looking straight at Talon.

“Huh,” came the man's grunt after only a moment of silence. “How is it that you can see?”

Skyle spread his lips in his best imitation of his father’s cheeky grin. “Little something I picked up at Sanctuary. It comes in very handy.”

“Good, that will save us some time,” Talon said, then disappeared from Skyle’s sight.

The young boy felt his jaw drop as he began to swivel his head left and right, backing away. Skyle’s surprise only lasted for a moment. Switching to the True Sight, he immediately spotted a complex set of weaves in the air before him. Behind them, he saw the glimmering aura of Uncle Talon as he bore down upon him.

Before Skyle could react, he felt the wind knocked out of his lungs as he was pushed off his feet and slammed against the ground.

Stars swam in his vision, but he was still using the True Sight and it showed him that the attack wasn’t over. Even without any breath left in his body, Skyle still managed to roll to his left just in time to avoid a heavy blow that landed on the ground to his left.

Skyle swept his leg out to try to trip his opponent, but he hit only air before he felt fingers clamp over his foot. His whole leg was twisted sideways in a swift motion.

A strangled cry finally escaped his lips, but it was only a moment later that he realized it had been more out of fright than pain.

“Don’t ever get cocky like that again, Skyle.”

The hand holding his foot twitched in a warning gesture, making Skyle hiss out a breath before nodding vigorously.

“That initial roll was pretty good, but what happened after that? You rely so much on whatever vision you have that a simple trick to hide my figure was your undoing. Also, what was with that kick from the ground? You need to learn not to let panic govern your actions. Don’t just randomly lash out and hope for the best.”

Skyle could feel his cheeks growing hot. Talon had struck the nail dead on. He had been growing complacent with the advantage provided by his Infinite Eye and True Sight. How dare he become so arrogant, especially in front of a true expert like Talon. In retrospect, Skyle realized that Talon had immediately identified Skyle’s arrogance as a weak spot and struck out to stunning effect.

“How long are you going to lie in the dust for?”

Skyle scrambled to his feet and put his hands up again. In the gloom, he could see Talon’s approving smile.

“Good, at least you’re not letting your guard down.”

The words had barely reached Skyle’s ears when essence began to gather in the air in front of Skyle. This time, he was ready and he squeezed his eyes shut, all the while leaping back.

Only an instant later, a brilliant green flame burst into blinding radiance in front of Skyle. He stumbled backward but belatedly realized that Talon had not moved. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and a knowing smile on his lips.

Talon was wearing a black leather vest from which several hilts protruded at odd angles. Soft boots were strapped tightly over dark trousers. From a thin leather belt hung a couple daggers, their angles slanted ever so slightly. All in all, he looked like a walking armory, bristling with blades on every side.

The same held true for the building around him. The walls were filled with every conceivable type of weapon Skyle could imagine, from delicate rapiers to halberds nearly twice as tall as the little boy. Several training dummies stood against the far wall, and there was even an arena and what looked like a complex obstacle course.

“Surprised?”

Skyle could only nod numbly, but he still kept his hands up as he eyed Talon warily. His uncle waved a dismissive hand in his direction though.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to sneak another attack in and beat you senseless. At least, not yet.”

Skyle didn’t miss how Talon’s eyebrows quirked upward at that last phrase, but his mind focused upon hearing his uncle’s next words.

“I needed to see what you were made of. I can see your father’s hand at work here, especially with how twitchy you are. Trust me, I know all too well about his training methods.”

A commiserating smile flashed briefly over Talon’s lips, but then his eyes grew somber.

“I’m not going to torture you for the sheer fun of it, but I will use every tool at my disposal to teach you the painful lessons you must learn so that you won’t have to pay an even dearer price later on. Do you understand what I mean?”

Skyle nodded firmly, which made Talon smile again.

“Excellent. I have high hopes for you Skyle, and I’m glad you’re living up to them. Now, stop blushing like a milking maid and listen carefully. From this moment forward, you will be training here six nights a week, from one hour after sundown until midnight. You will receive lessons on stealth, combat, tactics, acrobatics, subterfuge, alchemy, and assassination.”

“Wait, alchemy? Assassination?”

Talon shrugged. “You don’t get to cherry-pick whatever you like, Skyle. Trust me, these skills will all come in handy one day - maybe even sooner than you think. I will keep that promise I made though. You’re the one who decides how to use what you learn. Most forget that, so make sure you remember.”

“I will.” Skyle tried not to wince as he remembered how easily he had broken this promise the last time he made it.

Talon didn’t seem to notice as he gestured Skyle forward, leading the boy in a tour around the warehouse.

“This is my private safehouse. It is unaffiliated with Shadow, so we should be safe here. Still, remember to always make sure no one sees you enter or exit. I’m sure you will manage just fine.”

Skyle nodded. It shouldn’t be too hard.

“This is the combat practice area. Just so you know, the walls have been sound-proofed and spell-warded. Now, I know you favor the bow and arrow, but you will become proficient with every weapon upon these walls. Only then can you learn their weaknesses and strengths, whether you fight with them or against them.”

Gazing at row upon row of cold steel gleaming under the pale light, Skyle clenched his fists and nodded. Though he had always despised close quarters combat, his recent discovery of the Desolate Technique’s effectiveness in imitating his father’s sword moves had sparked a newfound passion within his heart. Fierro Latimus had been one of the greatest warriors of his land. What kind of peaks would Skyle reach?

Talon pointed toward an area filled with ropes, walls, and many other hurdles.

“That’s the obstacle course. I know about the playground back at your place, so we will be focusing more on stealth rather than agility. I can tell you’re as limber as a monkey already.”

Skyle exchanged a happy grin with Ash at the praise.

Talon chuckled as he paused briefly before a bound door. He lit up a small everlight lantern before banishing the green flame with a flicker of his hand. Then he placed a hand upon the door before turning a grave gaze upon Skyle.

“This is the alchemy laboratory. Remember, you are never to enter this room without my direct instructions. Also, do not ever bring a naked flame into this lab. Some materials stored here are highly flammable, even explosive. The tiniest spark could set off the invisible fumes of the Lokari crystal and blow up this entire building up in smokes. Some of the poisons stored here are even deadlier. A spoonful of pollen from the Black Widow Lotus could kill half the people in this town if applied correctly.”

Skyle’s face blanched as he tottered back a couple steps. “You mean when they’re used in elemental spells?”

Talon’s lips quirked sideways, pushing the door open. Mountains of flasks and vials stacked upon neatly labeled rows sparkled under the everlight’s glow.

“Some of them do, but most don’t require even a pinch of elemental essence. It is why they are so effective and hard to guard against. You will learn to distinguish them by sight, touch, smell, and taste. Their handling, dosage, and effects will become second nature to you.”

Catching Skyle’s expression of horror, Talon fixed him with a steady gaze. “Even if you don’t ever use them, and I pray that you never have need to, others will not be so scrupulous, Skyle. Poisons are an especially favored weapon in the game of the Great Houses.”

“Leon!” Skyle immediately cried out in his mind.

It made sense. Why send ten men against an army when a few drops could achieve the same effect? He resolved himself to learn as much about this deadly art as he could.

Talon closed the door and led him toward another door. Once inside, Skyle’s face lit up with a delighted grin.

The golden glow of the Everlight lantern danced upon the spines of rows upon rows of books, each neatly stacked upon countless bookcases. Skyle could spy titles of famous works on elemental power he had always wished to read, like “Musings of an Ascended Elemental Saint” and “Litanies of the Council of the Exalted Arcane”. There were also works by famous scholars or generals. Even several unknown languages jumped at him.

A gentle hand landed upon his shoulders. “I haven’t forgotten your love of the written word, Skyle. It is one that I will happily indulge and even encourage, though some reading is far more onerous than others.”

Skyle scoffed, wondering how anyone could find a book uninteresting. It simply made no sense. Why would someone bother to write such a thing in the first place?

Talon smiled knowingly, but said nothing as he nearly dragged a reluctant Skyle out.

The next room held a complex spell circle drawn upon the floor. It flickered with strands of elemental essence in the True Sight that felt oddly familiar, though Skyle was certain he had never seen them before.

“This is my private spell matrix laboratory. Unlike the ones in the academy, this one is mainly focused around combat spellcasting. In particular, you will learn how to identify, dissect, and disrupt an opponent’s elemental casting or spell matrix.”

Skyle stared at Talon in surprise. “I thought the academies were the best place to learn about the elements.”

Talon just chuckled, but Skyle didn’t miss the underlying hint of derision.

“That’s what the academies would like you to believe, and once upon a time, they may have been right. However, like any power structure wielding unmatched power for too long, the unwieldy abominations they have become are pale shadows of their former glory.”

A frown flashed past Skyle’s brow. It was gone in an instant, but Talon still caught it.

“You don’t have to take my word for it. You’ll understand what I mean when you attend the school yourself. For now, make sure you stay in the Warrior School.”

Skyle opened his mouth, but he could tell from Talon’s expression that the man wouldn’t elaborate on the reason why, so he simply nodded.

They finally arrived back at the combat area. There, Talon nodded toward a neat row of bows hanging upon the wall.

“Now that the tour is done, help yourself.”

Skyle eyed the bows for a moment before glancing back toward Talon. The man smiled encouragingly at him. “Go on. Before I set your schedule for you, I need you to understand a simple point.”

“What’s that?”

“That’s for me to know, and you to find out. Now do hurry, will you? We don’t have all night, Skyle.”

Skyle squinted up at his uncle.

“You’re gonna beat me up, aren’t you?”

Talon smiled while gesturing at his chest. “Me? I said I wouldn’t beat you senseless for no good reason.”

“Huh.” It was the only answer Skyle offered as he grinned at Talon, then headed toward the bow.

Whatever lesson Talon wanted to drive in, maybe the small boy wouldn’t be the only one learning it.