Elena watched the setting sun, a small breeze blew, her red hair slightly fluttering with it. The familiar smell of oak and pine passed by her as she read the book of the Valkorian War.
A war waged over a thousand years ago.
The book held details of battles and events during the war.
Some called the Second Age the Age of liberation from the creatures of the First Age, monsters, and demons that enslaved the people of the world.
One most notable events was the betrayal of the Elves, a race that used to protect the world tree and the ones who could harness powerful magic.
She looked at a depiction of the corruption that took the Elves, twisting their magic and forms into darkness.
Now, a new race called Jarian's creatures of death and silence.
The face of the Jarian looked back at her, eyes pitched black, its face once elegant, now hollow, as if starved.
"Elena," a voice called out in annoyance, as Elena's eyes rose, meeting Lily's, who had a quirked brow.
"Seriously? I have been calling your name for almost a minute."
Elena blinked, tried to speak, and instead coughed—her throat dry, like she'd been holding her breath without realizing it.
Lily sighed dramatically, disappearing into the room to fold the blanket she'd brought earlier. "You and that ancient book… I swear, the world could burn down, and you wouldn't notice."
"Sorry, Lily—what were you saying?" Elena rasped, clearing her throat as she gently closed the worn pages.
"I was trying to tell you that dinner is almost ready." She said as she quickly folded another blanket, putting it in the dresser.
Elena looked down on herself; she still wore the clothes she had when training.
Smudges of sand and sweat stains peppered her clothing.
"Ah, I will um… get ready," she said through a nervous chuckle, as she swiftly put the book away and went to the shower.
"Should have been doing that when you got home," Lily mumbled, shaking her head.
Soon, Elena's wet hair slightly seeped into her simple yet elegant dress after she had cleaned herself.
It was a pink one-piece that was more of a gown than a dress, as it had long sleeves with white ruffles at the end.
As she walked down the stairs and through the halls, she could smell the freshly cooked duck and other cooked food.
She walked into the dining hall, and she saw the familiar large, long table in the middle, able to host multiple guests.
At the end of the table sat her father, Robert, the head of the house. His brown eyes were looking down at a book, lost in reading it, as he took his time eating his plate.
Elena's mother sat next to him, her red hair braided neatly behind her. Their amber eyes met her eyes, filled with amusement.
"How was training, dear?" Julie asked.
Elena took a seat across from her mother, a dish already served for her.
"It was fine," she said simply as she started to eat the dinner.
Julie sighed, seeing her daughter's lack of interest.
"You should have came with me to the tea party; there were a lot of young men there."
Elena's stomach twisted. She didn't even try to hide her grimace.
That's exactly why she left for the training grounds, where the knights and others respected her skills instead of men who looked at her like a trophy. Or worse—a stepping stone into the Seven Great Houses. Men who whispered her name like she were prey. Men who thought they could tame the Fox of Falmil.
Her father, finally noticing that she had joined, took off his glasses and set them down, and he finally spoke.
"Elena, you have to be with someone eventually," her father stated, apparently, he had been listening.
Elena sighed, "What have you done this time? Another planned marriage you're trying to set me up with?" Her voice filled with bitterness.
Robert nodded, "I was speaking with Halith Young earlier; his son Forrest seems like a good suitor for you."
Elena narrowed her eyes, "I am not a mare to be sold off, Father." She said her voice was now a razor.
Heat rose in her chest, sharp and bitter. She thought of Jake—of every time he'd slipped from shadow to shadow to dig up dirt on some arrogant noble family, every scandal he unearthed, every carefully timed rumor that sent her potential marriages crumbling apart.
As always, she thought. I'll have him look into this one, too.
"Father, at this point, you should know it's useless," Elena said, glaring at her father.
Julie laughed softly. "She has a point, dear. Every attempt ends in disaster. The Fox strikes again."
Robert pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Elena… you're of age. I want you to be happy."
"If you want me happy," she snapped, "stop trying to hand me off like some political package. Now, please—drop it. I'm starving."
A long silence.
Then Robert sighed and nodded, conceding—for now.
Julie hid her smile behind her wine glass.
And Elena, though tense, finally took another bite of dinner, pushing down the lingering sour taste the conversation had left behind.
"You know, I heard a rumor that the Lockvrys have been making movements expanding their territory," Julie said, breaking the silence that had stretched far too long.
Robert's face twisted in anger.
"I know, dear," she said, a gentle hand resting on his. He exhaled and nodded as he patted her hand gratefully.
Elena looked on; she only heard tales of that day, when the Lockvrys rose to power, the bloody event that her own father was there to witness.
The Blood Ball.
An event that killed many heads of noble houses and even one of the Seven.
House Selene, if she remembered correctly. But what was the most notable thing was the man who orchestrated the attack.
Known as Adam, The Bloodsoaked, the current head of the Lockvry's, who was able to escape and walk free. Due to mysterious circumstances that hid behind the closed doors of the royal throne itself.
This only boosted their power after they massacred the previous family that held their current seat at the Five Lords.
The story sent a shiver down her spine, and she pondered how Jake could be related to a man who had such a gruesome tale.
But she personally knew him, and he was much of the opposite of the man whom the nobles still feared.
Along with another name that escaped her.
"What exactly did you hear?" His voice was tense, filled with restrained anger.
Elena shuddered slightly, as if being able to feel his anger and fear.
"Only that they have been making moves on the most recent family, the Malanors," Julie said, swirling her wine glass.
"The Malanors?" Robert asked, quirking a brow. "What happened to the Tanmors?"
"Well, they fell to the Malanors. I heard the head of them is quite dangerous, a tactician of sorts, a schemer," she whispered, as she tapped her glass.
Elena raised her own brow, noting to ask Jake what exactly was going on when they would meet tomorrow night.
"What about the others? How have they reacted to their rise?" Robert said, curiosity in his voice.
Julie shrugged, "Don't know, like I said, only rumors."
Robert nodded as Elena's mind remembered what the Tanmors dealt with, information given by Jake.
The Tanmors were the ones who dealt with legal trading and other legal operations, but were also known for their greed. Which seems to have finally caught up to them.
"What are the Stones doing about their squabble?" Robert inquired, breaking Elena from her thoughts.
"I am guessing they are making sure their squabble stays underground, like they usually do, honey." Julie sighed.
Robert scoffed, memories flashing behind his eyes, "Sure they are,"
Julie gave a sympathetic smile, grabbing his hand and squeezing tightly, reassuringly.
"Honey, you know what caused it…" she said softly, cupping his cheek, and he leaned in as their eyes met. "If it were me, you too would go on a rampage."
They stared at each other, silent words being spoken through only their gaze.
"I wouldn't, I am nothing like him," he said eventually, his voice was bitter, but there was a slight hesitation to it.
As if trying to distance himself from a mirror, one that twisted the form yet was still a mirror of himself.
Julie nodded as she exhaled, her hand leaving his cheek.
Elena watched them, a slight blush seeing her parents' intimacy and wondering who could show her that same level?
Golden eyes flashed as she turned away, shaking her head.
No, he's only a friend, and it couldn't work, never, she thought, trying to clear her mind.
Julie glanced at Elena, and a motherly smile spread across her lips briefly as she changed topics to other rumors she heard at the tea party she attended.
But Elena's mind was somewhere else as she absently ate her plate, thinking of their next adventure, which was different from their usual ones, where they explored the mines and tunnels of the Undercity or walked through the polished streets of Altor.
~~~~~
Jake walked through the mostly empty halls of the mansion. Some vases that only held what used to be flowers, now just old and dried sticks, other small furniture dotted the halls and rooms, as guards stood at certain points in the mansion.
All covered in black cloaks, standing still, as if they were coats hanging from a rack. Each one only slightly moved as he passed by, giving a hint of people under the cloaks as he walked by.
He sighed, stopping in the middle of a room as he looked around. It was the main room of the manor, with a high ceiling, one wall practically made of glass, giving a view of the outside.
The view looked down upon most of the Undercity, the lights of buildings speckled the darkness as if a night sky reflected against a calm lake, as openings in the ceiling of the cavern let sunlight bleed through, and some massive waterfalls glinted in the light as they powered the multiple lifts that made many trips.
A machine of mining and trade, adapted to be completely hidden from above.
To be a shadow.
Jake turned away from the glass wall, sat down on the floor, the couch only a few feet away, and crossed his legs.
His tail brushed against the stone flooring as he raised his hand out, seeing the shadow it produced.
"Too weak," he muttered, seeing how the shadow scattered, not fully there.
He looked up, his eyes meeting the darkness of the hood of one of the cloaked figures, and the cloaked guard moved forward, seeming to float across the floor, their cloak not indicating that they were walking. The guard stopped in front of him and pulled out a crystal from a hidden pocket.
It was a glow crystal, a crystal of many uses, helping navigate the dark or marking a path. They were cheap and common.
As the light shone, the shadow of his hand darkened, forming almost into a solid as he concentrated. The shadow rippled like a disturbed lake as he tried to push it farther than what the light allowed it to.
Jake inhaled and focused. The shadow thickened as it trembled more, as his eyes narrowed.
Hold. Shape. Push—
The darkness resisted him immediately, straining against his control. He forced more intent into it, imagining the edge of a blade, the weight of a spear—anything with form.
Minutes bled together. The ripple steadied. Then buckled.
His jaw tightened.
Sweat gathered along his temples. His hand shook, not from exertion, but from irritation simmering under his skin. Every time the shadow thickened enough to suggest structure, the edges dissolved, slipping back into formless dark.
He grit his teeth and tried again. And again.
The light from the glow crystal began to prick at his eyes. His breathing grew shallow. His tail flicked with increasing annoyance. Shadows he could become. Shadows he could travel through. But shaping one—giving it mass, giving it form—felt like trying to grasp smoke.
Nearly an hour crawled by before a dull ache formed at the base of his skull and pulsed forward.
Jake exhaled sharply and let the attempt collapse. The half-formed construct disintegrated instantly.
"Tsk." He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
The cloaked figure tucked the crystal away and glided back to their former position.
Jake ran a hand through his hair, frustration settling heavy in his chest.
"What am I missing…?" he muttered. Constructs were supposed to be simple. Basic. And yet they eluded him while harder shadow-arts—merging, hiding, slipping between one patch of darkness and another—came easily.
His tail snapped once against the floor. Enough. He'd push on the problem later.
A nearby clock ticked, drawing his attention. Almost time for the meet-up.
He chuckled, remembering how she said she had a surprise for him for their next adventure.
Other adventures flashed by in his mind, erasing away the disappointment of failing to create a construct.
He stood—just as rapid footfalls clattered down the stairs, followed by heavier ones. He barely ducked in time as a blur of black wings swooped past his head. A child's laughter echoed after it.
Val, a young girl who was probably ten, barreled around the corner in pursuit, blonde hair streaming behind her. Audrey followed with a long-suffering groan.
"Val! For once, leave Vantim alone!" Audrey called.
Jake watched the chaos unfold—Val leaping after the hawk, Vantim swooping low to tease her—and couldn't help the small smile pulling at his mouth.
Audrey paused beside him with a sigh. Her bronze eye rolled, the flat silver mask on the right side of her face catching the light. As her silver hair shimmered in the lamp light, which was tied back in a ponytail, and her loose leather pants jingled with belts and pockets as she planted her hands on her hips. Inked tattoos curled across her arms and shoulders, already shifting faintly as the magic that summoned Vantim rippled under her pale skin.
"She is always like this," Audrey grumbled.
"Well," Jake said with a soft chuckle, "you did take her in. What did you expect?"
Audrey shook her head, "I didn't expect her to adapt so quickly from the caves."
Jake looked at Val, still chasing Vantim around the couch, remembering when Audrey first took her in.
She had found Val while exploring some parts of the deepest caves, where only truly experienced adventurers worked. Yet she was found down there, living alone. A pile of dead cave natter's small yet venomous creatures that were an ambush predator.
They still didn't know how she killed them, as no wounds were on her, or on the natters. As if they just suddenly died.
The natter's were four-legged and the size of small dogs, with mouths that could open into fours, tearing meat off flesh with ease, while using their venom-tipped tails to neutralize their prey.
They didn't know her true age. But Audrey had adopted Val, like a stray cat found on the streets.
Audrey huffed. "And you—off again on whatever mysterious nonsense you've cooked up, dragging us along half blind?" Her tone was teasing.
Audrey, Shawn, and Dan were his friends, who didn't fear him or his title. They were just his friends ever since they first teamed up, doing extermination missions of the creatures that hid in forgotten tunnels of old mines.
Jake crossed his arms. "I don't do that."
"One word: merchant," she said flatly.
Jake groaned. "I was fifteen. I barely understood how sails worked yet. And we've had a pretty damn high success rate since."
"Mm-hmm." Audrey didn't look convinced, but her exasperation softened. "Fine. Go do whatever you do."
Jake glanced toward Val—now bouncing on the couch trying to capture Vantim with each bounce—and raised a brow.
"You sure you've got this?"
Audrey flipped him off without missing a beat.
Jake laughed under his breath and headed out.
He entered the streets once more, as he could feel his magic regaining power. The shadows he stayed in while traveling refilled his mana pool, and soon, he was able to merge into the shadows, traveling through alleyways and using people as transport as he was dragged along in their shadows.
It was a familiar sensation, as if seemingly sitting in silence as you contemplatively watched a party go on. You were there, yet you didn't want to be interacted with, or people simply didn't notice.
When his magic was running low, he simply hid behind larger figures; he hid in people's corners of their eyes. Unnoticeable, only if they truly tried, they would notice him. He hid behind a Rhino Beast-kin; his skin was rough leather, and the man was heavy, yet under the fat, it was all muscle as he carried a massive crate on his shoulder.
Soon, he got on a lift unseen by others as he squeezed into a corner of the platform, letting the crowd's bodies and shadows spill over him, wrap around him, conceal him. The gears groaned as the lift ascended, the chains rattling as they hoisted the lift up.
Jake tilted his head upward.
Through the distant hole in the cavern ceiling, the last sliver of sunlight poured down—thin as a blade, soft as a sigh. It brushed over his face for only a moment, but the warmth made his chest ache.
He'd missed that warmth.
The lift shuddered as it reached the top. Traders flashed their badges to the guards—tokens granting legal passage to the surface. Armor clanked, boots shuffled, voices rose.
But Jake simply melted back into their shadows and slipped through the checkpoint unseen.
He appeared in an alleyway, far from any guards.
He chuckled.
Such an easy task, it was routine at this point.
He continued the path he regularly took, the sun setting, turning twilight into night. Jake grinned as the last of the sun faded. As he felt the magic rising, his magic that coursed through his veins, he merged into the shadows once more, able to be one with the shadows as long as the night lasted.
The violet moonlight of the sibling moons Afina and Yakul, their blue and red surfaces mixing in an ethereal violet that coated the city, as he hid in their light.