Shadow Ravena
Paladin of Shadows
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Chapter Two: A Meeting of the Mind
I streaked back to the house, a dark and white blur against the sky. I did not consiter where these new powers had come from, or how I knew how to use them, or why my personality had suddenly changed. I was still in a blood-rage, and my mind only registered hatred. However, one part of my mind was forcing the issue of what had happened, forcing me back to the house.
I landed in front of the house, and went on into the kitchen. It was still dark out, and the moonlight streamed in from a nearby window, illunimating the room in cold light. Standing by the window, I looked up at the moon and smiled. "Ah, my old friend, how are you doing?"
Maybe it was because it was a happy memory, but I could feel a conflict in my mind. A part that had seemed to left me returned, and with it a new sight on what I had done. Trembling, I gripped the window sill. "Oh God, what have I done? I killed those men!" I felt like I would throw up, but a burst of pain inside my head made me sink to the ground. I could feel my body shrink back to regular size, my wings disappear and color return to my skin. Hunched over, I held my head and tried to make sense of the throughts fighting inside. It was almost like someone was trying to wresle control away from... and in my distrat state I could not stop them. I did not give up though, and started to feel the real world slip away... I fell over but did not feel it, my conscience deep inside my mind.
I opened my eyes to a dark room, with no ceiling or wall in sight, or source for the sickly light that lit the area. I barely had time to look around before blow to my head came from behind. Pitching forward, I swung my arm back to hit my assailant, grasping their shirt and throwing them a bit to my side. Leaping up, I turned to face them.
"Annabelle? Is that you?" I was extremely confused. At my feet lay my long time companion, Annabelle. But she looked... different. Her hair was still black, her skin white and eyes amber, but the bat wings were new, and she was larger than before. She looked... exactly as I had a minute ago.
"This is impossible! Why do you look different? What happened?"
"What happened was that I grew stronger. Now, I can fight, not cower like the weakling thee are."
"I am no weakling and you know it! How long have we been together?"
She smirked. "Since birth. But I have helped you more than you could ever help yourself. Without me, you would be nothing!"
"Without ME you wouldn't be alive! And don't you forget your place."
She leaned her head back and laughed long and coldly. "My place? Since when did you care about that? I do as I please, just as always." There was a look in her eye, a edge to her voice... she had changed, not just in body.
"Annabelle, you're... different."
"Not really. Just... released. No more chains bind me- I can do as I please, without your petty morality stopping me."
My temper flared at that. "My morality is what makes me different from an animal- is what makes me human! You would reject that?"
"Yes," she said simply. I started to reply, then stopped. Thinking, I spoke slowly.
"I does not matter. You are not in control, I am. You are but a part of my mind- a friend I relied on when things were hard. You are half my heart, but you do not control me. I can contain you, help you to change, to learn..."
"She interrupted me. "Learn? What? How to be weak, like you are? I can survive, you cannot. I keep us alive."
"At what cost? At least I think about someone besides myself!"
"Suurrreee. That's why you let me take over, knowing I would kill those men."
I looked away. She was right. "I needed to survive. But you... it wasn't killing them. It was torturing them before you did. I did not ask for that!"
She smiled leeringly at me. "I do not care. And now that I have control... I don't have to."
"This is my mind, not yours! You will do as I say!"
"Not anymore. You lost your right to rule. And besides... you are outnumbered." With that, from the shadows several people emerged. My eyes nearly bugged out when they did.
Walking slowly forward, I looked at them. "Joan? Why did you join her?" The aura guardian merely looked away, avoiding my gaze, her dark hair hiding her glowing blue eyes. "Aurora, you have even stronger morals than I! Why join leagues with this madman?" The energy being showed me the scars and bruises she had, the chain that held her hands behind her back and her legs to the ground, her silver eyes showing sorrow and guilt. Nodding, I stepped beyond her at the least person I expected to see. I had to look up to see the dark eyes and red hair, her red dress sparkling in the dark light. "Scarlet? What are you doing?! You're suppose to be my conscience! The wise one of the two of us. Why join up with her?!"
Scarlet replied, voice dejected. "I do not have a choice. She can keep us alive, you will fall. I gave my power to her so she would live... so we all would live."
I backed up, fear in my eyes. "You gave your mind over to her. Now... now you have no control left!" She nodded, sorrow in her eyes. Annabelle must have been planning this... for once we were in a situation I would need to give up control, she targeted the others... forcing them to join her. Joan... it looked like she was an inch from dying, her aura gone... she could not fight and still live. Aurora tried to fight... and lost. Scarlet tried to help... not realizing the trap she walked into. Annabelle was stronger than any of us guessed, least of all myself. But...
"Where is Elizabeth? I do not see her here."
Annabelle sneered. "That weakling? Right here." From behind her I could the small elfin girl, no more than six, with baby blue eyes and blong hair that reached her waist, hiding her white dress. I ran up to her, but at a gesture from Annabelle I halted. "Come any closer and I will kill her."
I replied back, hatred in my voice, "Let her go. She is a child, you have no quarrel with her!"
"Oh? Trying to protect the only innocence you ever had? You are more blind than I realized. Besides, she came to me willingly."
I looked at Elizabeth. "Is that true?"
"You were going to die! Your wound was killing you... I had to let Annabelle have my power, or..." she broke down now, weeping. I started to move forward to comfort her, but a wave of Annabelle's hand stopped me. Instead, I just called to her softly.
"It's okay, you did your best. Don't worry, I'll get us out of this."
This made Annabelle shriek with laughter. "Get out of this? Pray, how are you planning to do that? I am much stronger than you, and you are outnumbered!"
I motioned towards the others. "They cannot fight me. I have not allowed it, and even if you can challenge me Annabelle you can't make it so they can." I narrowed my eyes. "And I will not lose to you."
Sending Elizabeth away, Annabelle drew her sword, a midnight black katana. "We shall see about that."
I drew my own sword, a shining gold broadsword. "We shall." Then charging at her, the fight began.
Annabelle met my sword with her own, and after struggling for a minute I managed to push her back. Swinging her sword out wide and low, she aimed for my knees, while I jumped up, bringing my sword down on her back. She blocked the blow, and countered with a swing at my chest. Twirling around, I parried her blow and aimed for her midrib. Knocking my blade down, she held it their with her foot while swinging at my head. I ducked, then headbutted her backward. Swinging my sword up, I tried to hit her shoulder, but no such luck. She swung out again at my side, which I failed to parry in time. A agonizing blow to my side with the flat of her sword sent my reeling, and knocked my to the ground. I looked up at her, completely winded, and expecting to die.
Instead, Annabelle just held her sword-tip over my throat. "I do not wish to kill you, but I will if I have to. Do I have to?"
"Why do you want me alive anyways? Wouldn't I just get in your way?"
"Well, if you won't obey me I will have to kill you for sure. But as it stands, I need your power."
I laughed at that, though a look of hatred stayed in my eyes. "MY power? Don't you have enough! You have the fire magic of Scarlet, the energy manipulation of Aurora, the aura control of Joan and the healing power of Elizabeth, besides your own shapeshifting! What more do you need?!"
"That. How did you list those powers off?"
I thought about it. "I do not know..."
"Well, I do. You are a telepath- I need your ability to dominate the mind. And besides... I cannot operate in regular sociaty like you can. I need a cover person to deal with other people."
"What, you AREN'T planning on killing everyone? I'm surprised."
"I only kill to survive. My main objective to to keep us all alive, no matter what. I could care less about the humans either way, they can live or die as they please as long as they do not threaten me."
"And you need me to tell you when they are threatening, what they are planning against us."
"Precisely."
I shook my head. "You are insane... and an psychopath."
"I care not for others or morals. That is not all the qualifications of a psychopath."
"You know what I mean."
"I do, but be specific."
"Okay then, you are an utter survivalist who only cares for self."
"Bravo, give her an award. Yes- as I do have emotion, I can work... and admit I need help. So, will you help me?"
I thought about it. She certainly was more amoral than before... but it wasn't like this was new, I was always part-psychopath. If Annabelle needed my help, she would listen to me... and maybe then I could keep some people safe. Maybe I could even do some good. Then again, if she turned evil instead of just not caring, there would be trouble... but for now, I may be able to prevent it. "I will help you. But I will not give over my will or power."
She laughed at that, then helped me up. "Then how about we share? I can use telepathy, you can use shapeshifting."
I was wary of that offer. "What would you still need me for then?"
"Interpretation. A more level head. Someone to take over when I get bored."
Well, at least she was honest to me. "Okay then." Instinctively knowing what to do, I walked up to her and we clasped hands. Muttering together, we said, "She shall share the power I have." We both started glowing for a brief moment, then we broke apart. I turned to my... partner... Annabelle, and said, "Now what?"
"We leave before the authorities show up. Where to?"
So we really were working together. I guessed as long as she felt in control, it would stay that way. Now that I was passive, she had calmed down... once I stopped fighting, she stopped attacking. Like a wild dog, I must not give her a reason to attack- and she may even be friendly if I don't.
"Why don't we find a forested area, away from too many people, and then plan what we will ultimately do."
"Sounds good. Now, lets go up to the control tower." Grabbing my arms, Annabelle flew up with me in tow, until we passed out of the darkness and into a small room, one wall all glass. Outside the glass we also darkness though... "Where are we?"
"In a room where you can observe the rest of the world. While I'm in control and visa-verse, you will be here, watching and speaking to me if necessary."
"Sounds like a plan. Now, you better get going."
She nodded and took of. I sat in a chair in front of the "window," and watched in fascination Annabelle control my body. This arrangement was odd to say the least, but maybe it could end up for the best.
Then again, knowing my luck, that was the last thing that was likely to happen...
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