Chapter 2

It was true that shadowkin were capable of defeating a dozen men easily in a fight, so when Kane charged in, yelling, they were visibly surprised. Their surprise, along with their overconfidence, was what Kane was hoping for. The first shadowkin Kane approached was the one that had been blasted by the magic earlier, and the creature eyed him with amusement. It let him get within striking distance, it wanted to toy with him.

The creature growled and struck at Kane lazily with a clawed hand. It was a simple attack, but the speed with which the creature could strike, meant the attack would easily tear off a man's limbs. The creatures were formidable for their strength and speed, not for their intelligence. Kane smiled at the creature's predictability, as skills gained from years of training, took action.

His left arm raised his scabbard, blocking the shadowkin's blackened twisted claws even as they seemed to flash through the air. The moment the claws made contact with his scabbard, he flicked his wrist, activating the hidden blades that lined the scabbard. The blades cut cleanly through, severing the creature's claws. Black blood fell from the wound, and it starred at its missing digits, confusion and pain on its face. Then, faster than a human could possibly move, faster than the shadowkin could register, Kane brought his sword around in a downward slash, splitting the creature from hip to shoulder.

He didn't pause to watch the creature fall apart, using his momentum instead to approach the second beast. The creature's face contorted in rage, and eyes which were incapable of fear, blazed with anger. As Kane closed the distance, the shadowkin growled, and its body began to glow darkly. Against normal humans, a shadowkin's speed and strength made it a fearsome foe, however, that was not why Kane avoided them. What he feared about them, was the powers they possessed thanks to their contact with the void.

"Get out of here." Kane called to the woman, though he kept his eyes on the beast. He could not afford to worry about her during this fight. His blood rushed through his veins, and his power filled him with fire, melting the ice that had previously taken hold. All that mattered now was the battle at hand, and Kane was not going to lose.

The creature roared, sending waves of darkness from its body. Everything they touched, became distorted and blacked. With grim determination, Kane raised his sword, firelight dancing on the large silver blade. He brought the blade downward, turning it as he did, sending a wave of air back towards the beast. His blast met the darkness, and halted its approach.

Kane brought the sword back up, sending another blast of air forward, pushing the darkness back. The shadowkin blinked, confused, as it was hit with a blast of air. The attack did little more than to anger the beast, and the dark energy around it grew. Its eyes hungered for blood.

"Sure, give it a try, humor you...." Kane grumbled as he sheathed his sword. "Damned fox." He raised his sheathed sword in his right hand, pointing his left hand at the creature as it approached. The powers that were his birthright gave him the upper hand he needed in this fight.

He called upon his power, passed down through his bloodline, and as he did a golden light formed around his left hand. He smiled, enjoying its warmth, for it had been a long time since he had called upon his power. With a white flash, he released it, and the energy shot forward, crashing against the darkness that enshrouded the beast. The attack created a momentary opening in the shadowy armor, and Kane smiled as he began his next attack. With inhuman speed, he brought his sword down, stopping mid swing to send his scabbard flying directly towards the shadowkin. As the projectile neared, two blades sprung from either side of it, creating a "v" as it cut cleanly through the beast. The darkness around the shadowkin faded, and the beast fell to the ground, hands at its stomach, its eyes frozen in confusion as it died.

"Happy?" Kane called aloud, letting his power fade. As its warmth left him, he became even more aware of just how cold it was. He hurried to his scabbard, and quickly cleaned his blade and scabbard on the creature's fur. Shadowkin blood was highly corrosive, and Kane's sword and scabbard were irreplaceable.

The sound of snow crunching caused Kane to spin as he finished cleaning his weapons, and to his disbelief, the young woman had not fled.

"Are you alright?" His voice was harsher than he intended. "What were you doing out here?" He couldn't fathom why she and those guards had been out in the blizzard in the first place.

She lowered her hood, revealing auburn hair, sharp angled features, and green eyes that glowed with an inner light. She was an elf. "I was looking for you."